Never Meant To Be A Liar
by dadiladila
Summary: The only reason Bianca befriended Alison Dilaurentis was to get closer to her brother, Jason. Never did she ever imagine it put her under questioning when Alison went missing, broke her heart when Jason bailed on her a month later, or unleashed a psycho stalker who knew every detail of her life. Was Jason really worth the mess she was dragged into? Jason/OC
1. Can Never Come Back To Before

_**NEVER MEANT TO BE A LIAR**_

_**by Dadiladila**_

_Just finished catching up PLL and just can't get Jason out of my mind. Gosh, he is such a hottie! So here goes another additional Liar who's involved with Jason Dilaurentis :D _

_I don't own Pretty Little Liars, though I do own my OC, Bianca Lexington._

_Hope you guys enjoy the story! :)_

* * *

**_Can Never Come Back To Before_**

This wasn't how her plan for high school was. She was finally allowed to date, as long as her parents knew who it was. They wouldn't complain or object of him, trusting her choice to fall in love for the first time. There wouldn't be any curfew so long as she had her cell on and always answered call from her parents. Even though there was still 'as long as' condition, at least they never had her followed anymore whenever she went outside with friends or had her teachers reported to them every week about what she did in the school. She didn't care because she found someone she really liked.

Jason Dilaurentis, the infamous boy who got drunk almost every weekend.

Bianca was not stupid. She knew how dangerous it was hanging around with people who indulged things like that. If she was seen with him, people would think she also did it. But Jason was different than people he hang with. He was not like Ian who was quite a pervert, flirting with other people even though he was already dating Melissa Hastings, or like Garrett who was a creep in the corner watching everybody before sneaking away from parties. When he was out and sober, which was quite rare, Jason was quite kind and caring.

He helped her once when she was loading grocery bags to her car. Or when she was on coffee run, he would help her bringing it home sometimes. When his 'friends' were crowding on her one Friday night, Jason would drag them away from her. There were times when they passed in the street and they would share a smile or wave. But Bianca wanted more than that. She didn't want to be just another girl who happened to share town with him. She wanted more and she couldn't do it by herself.

So she tried to befriend Jason's little sister, Alison, and it was hard to get close to her. She was the Queen Bee of Rosewood High. _Everyone _wanted to be her friends, to be close to her. She had to compete with the whole school for her attention. But Bianca wouldn't surrender. Being friend with Alison was the only opening she could get to be closer to Jason. If she was Alison's friend, it wouldn't be weird that she would come visit their house randomly and talked to Jason while there. And it was a good thing too that Alison and her cliques seemed to enjoy checking out older boys, including Jason's frats friends. Not to mention it was actually quite nice walking down the hallway and be in the center of attention because she walked with Allison.

It wasn't until Bianca was finally welcomed to Alison's circle of friends that she found out that Alison and Jason actually had a tense relationship and they didn't like the fact that she was friends with each other. Often she found herself trying to make a move on Jason but Alison would suddenly appear and drag her away from him. Or when the situation between the siblings was sour, Jason would snap at her for being Alison's friend. Apparently the plan she learned from novels or TV shows or movies was not as smooth as they made it out to be in real world.

They didn't tell how hard it was to get to know a drunk older college boy, who apparently got stoned as well, and attracted his attention. Or how scary it was to be surrounded with those people at night. Or how embarrassing sometimes to have his friends laughed at her failed attempt to flirt with him. Or how exhausting it was to maintain her friendship with Alison who seemed to keen on finding her deepest secret. It was quite often that Bianca caught Alison snooping around her things or questioning about her family life. Alison always said that secret kept friends together and Bianca never believed that. Since then Bianca always made sure her parents knew everything about her, including her finally dating Jason, and it made Alison more frustrated and angry at her.

But it didn't matter anymore now. All those meticulous plans, everything she had sacrificed for... all of them went waste when Alison went missing one year ago. That night messed up everything in her life. Bianca suddenly found herself spending more time in the police station, remembering cops' name more than she planned to in her entire life, and learning the quirks in the police station more than she felt comfortable to. Her house, along with Alison's other close friends, were surrounded by reporters trying to find out about Alison's disappearance. The whole town was watching her every move. Since then, Bianca couldn't sleep, tossing around her bed from nightmare whenever she closed her eyes. Her grade went down. She was really afraid walking alone in the dark, scared that what happened to Alison would happen to her as well.

It was when she found out that Dilaurentis family had packed up their belongings and moved away from Rosewood, taking Jason away with them, in the middle of the night that Bianca realized her old life was completely gone. He didn't even say goodbye to her or called her afterwards, as if those months they spent together was nothing in his mind. As if the times she spent at Dilaurentis house after Alison went missing, helping out as much as she could, was insignificant enough to warrant his goodbye. He left her behind in Rosewood alone enduring the pitiful looks and whispers the other people gave her everyday. Just when she desperately needed her boyfriend to be there with her, to make her feel stronger, he disappeared.

In just one night, she lost her boyfriend, her close friends, and her normal life. All was because Alison went missing.

* * *

One year later and Alison still kept haunting her life. The news about her disappearance kept appearing in local newspapers or televisions especially nearing the one year mark. The whispering had already toned down and Bianca no longer had to walk through hallway without receiving weird looks from the others. But it was different now. She was no longer part of the clique who ruled over the school. Aria was gone to Iceland, Hanna suddenly transformed into the next Alison together with Mona, and Spencer... well, she was just like the usual Spencer, unless this time she was Bianca's new study buddy and academic rivals.

Spencer was the only one she was still hanging out in and out of school with ever since that night Alison disappeared. Since their group's fallout, Bianca focused more to build up resume for her college application. Hanging out with Spencer really helped it out since they both were thinking for the same thing. Although she still had hard time coming over to the Hastings even after a year, with their house was in front of the empty house Dilaurentis left behind. There was no more Jason lounging in the porch with his beer, grinning at her when she passed there and beckoning her to come over. No more sneaking into his room when they had sleepover at Alison's or Spencer's.

Sometimes Bianca wondered if those times really happened, if Jason was really with her. It had been a year since she was in his embrace and she started to forget everything about him that she thought everything was just in her imagination. She forgot sometimes how he usually took his coffee or what his favorite dessert was. To make it worse, she didn't even remember the last time he said he loved her and their last kiss. Everything that she took for granted about him started to disappear from her mind. It went hazy on her memory the feeling of his lips pressed with hers, how safe she felt when he had his arm around her, and how complete it was to have him inside her.

Yet it still managed to leave strong imprints in her mind that made her uncomfortable hooking up with someone else.

"...hear me? Earth to B? Helloo?"

Bianca snapped her head to see Spencer glaring at her with her hand on hips. "Oh sorry, what?"

"You do realize it's really creepy staring at an empty house like that, right? Jason wouldn't come back even if you stare that hard."

"Oh shut up," she threw the pillow at Spencer who grinned back at her, "what did you say earlier?"

"Melissa is going to show off her fiance tonight. Can we please go to mall and find an outfit for me?" Spencer grabbed her hand and pulled her up from the bed when Bianca looked doubtful, "come on!"

"Fine, fine. Let's go."

Over a year Bianca found out that shopping alone with Spencer meant straight to business, no sidetrack or anything. It had to be efficient and less time consuming, grabbed what they needed and bailed out of there asap. Not that she was complaining. She had lost interest on dressing up lately, much to her mother's horror. But sometimes it made her missed those times when Alison was still around. Even though she never liked the way Alison criticized their fashion style, especially Hanna, it was fun fooling around together in the changing room, playing dress up with them. Or sneaking away in between racks to meet Jason while the girls were busy comparing their choices.

Bianca glanced at her friend who was busy trying out blazers and sighed. The Hastings really had something on with blazers. She swore ninety percent of Spencer's wardrobe was blazers and casual business styles. "Please, can you just drop that blazer craze _just for _this once? You need to step up to compete with Melissa. Come on," she grabbed her hand and tried to pull away from blazer racks. "Let's get you a dress or something. Oh, we can go to my mum's store."

"What? No way!" Spencer tried to struggle away from her hold. "That blazer should look good with that grey skirt I put on hold."

"I'm definitely not going to let you do that! Ooo, how about this dress?"

Spence glanced at the dress briefly before scowling at her friend, "when did you ever see me with that kind of dress before? And it's family dinner, B, not a cocktail party." She grabbed the dress to return it back to the rack. "Okay, help me find the matching top for it. Now," she added when Bianca was about to protest again.

"Well well well, I can't believe Spencer Hastings and Bianca Lexington actually have time for shopping." They turned around in surprise only to find Hanna standing behind them, smiling widely. "I mean, Spencer interning for the mayor, B is in some lab I can't even pronounce, taking classes in Hollis, and Spence even redoing the barn. And in your leisure moments, you both facebook and tweet."

"You know us. We like to keep it busy."

Bianca rolled her eyes before pulling Hanna into a hug and smiled, "and I see you spend yours sunning and shopping."

"Tweet tweet."

"Did you see the paper today?"

They flinched hearing Spencer's question. Bianca had been trying to completely avoid the topic, even left the house before her parents woke up in case they decided to cuddle her again. Beside her, Hanna's smile froze and she sighed. "yeah."

"She's gone but she's everywhere," Bianca said quietly.

"I can't believe it's been a year."

"Do you remember what Ali said that night, about our secrets keeping us close?" Spencer suddenly said, glancing at Bianca who shrugged. She was not there that night most of the time. "I think it was the opposite."

Bianca glanced between her friends, noticing the tense mood between three of them, "but for a more pressing matter," she rested her hand on Hanna's shoulder, "can you please help me convince her that she really need to stop stocking on blazer and buy this red top _or _the navy dress instead?"

"What's the occasion?"

Spencer threw an exasperated look at Bianca before sighing, "family dinner. We're meeting Melissa's fiance."

"He's a med student I heard, so we really need to upgrade her."

"Totally agree," Hanna grabbed the white shirt away from Spencer's grip before pushing the red top to hers, "you need to turn heads _to _you, not the other way around. See you around the playground, girls."

Bianca shook her head with a smile when Hanna turned around and left them. "Isn't it amazing how much she changed over a year?" she glanced at Spencer, "somehow I feel like we're the only one who doesn't change that much."

"Oh please." Spencer said, rolling her eyes, "you're suddenly up neck to neck against me in class and awards after a year. If that's not a huge change, I don't know what to call it."

Her smile faltered for a moment remembering what changed her a year ago before Bianca shrugged that thought away and turned her attention back to the clothes rack. There was no need to dwell in the past for too long as it would only open up the wounds she tried to forget. But still her mind couldn't help but wandering back to Jason. It had been almost a year already and there was still no contact from him at all. Bianca took out her phone, wiping few drops of tears on her cheek, and scrolled through her contact list until she found Jason's name. Her fingers hovered over the call symbol for a moment before she stored her phone away.

Was she really that easy to forget?

* * *

Apparently drastic changes always came out after a summer vacation. Aria had returned from Iceland and seemed like there was something awkward going on between her and the new teacher, Mr. Fitz, and Bianca knew it wasn't just her feeling. Now that Aria returned and the girls were finally reunited again after a year, there was still this unmistakable tension between them and it was always awkward when they met each other. It was as if they couldn't find a common ground other than Alison.

Not enough that Bianca already had too much drama going on in her school, her mother decided to add more by enrolling her in a diet program and take away her car keys because she finally found out that Bianca was two size bigger than last year. Honestly, her mother should have noticed it way earlier with the way she drowned in chocolate and ice creams after Jason moved away.

And now Bianca found out from Emily that a new family occupied Dilaurentis' empty house. When she came over to Spencer's house, Bianca caught a glimpse of the new family in that house. It was weird to see someone else coming in and out from the house. Or to realize that someone now occupied Jason's room and put different furniture inside, hung different posters or even changed the wallpaper. Bianca could never step into that house and found Jason prancing around in the house anymore. Nor would she find traces of him in that house. To her, a new family moving in to that house was reality rubbing it to her face that Jason was really gone. From Rosewood and from her life.

But the most drastic change happened few nights after the school started. Bianca was annoyed with the way her mother hovering over her dinner that she decided to go to Spencer's house. She almost reached the house when lines of police cars and ambulance sped through the road leading towards Spencer's house. Fearing Spencer also suffered the same fate with Alison, Bianca quickened her pace and sprinted towards the house only to find that it wasn't the Hastings' house those police went to.

The crowd was surrounding the St. Germain's house, the ex Dilaurentis' house.

Bianca easily found Spencer in the crowd, standing near the front yard, with Aria next to her and made her way towards them. "What happened? Is the new family okay?"

Aria shrugged her shoulder, "I have no idea. I just saw them bringing out a body bag. I heard the cops take Hanna to the police station today."

"You don't think she'd ever talk about..."

"─the Jenna thing?" They turned around in fear only to sigh in relief when it was Hanna. "We made promise."

Bianca glanced back to the ambulance and watched it left the scene. Everyone around them whispered that the body they just found was Alison. Was it possible? Her blood ran cold when she realized Alison had been in Rosewood the whole time, only she was in six foot under. Bianca glanced around nervously, knowing what this situation entailed to them. If Alison's body was buried in that backyard all this time... it had to happen during that night and someone did that to her. Alison was dead when Bianca was few feet away from her.

The question was: did that person only target Alison or was it just a random attack?

Her body shivered when that question sprung into her mind. Suddenly Bianca didn't feel safe in this road anymore even though she was surrounded by many people. She mumbled out goodbye to her friends before running back to her house, away from the prying eyes of strangers. The sooner she got home, the safer she would feel.

A loud ping distracted her from the horrible scenarios playing in her mind. Bianca took out her phone, thinking it was probably her mother telling her to go home.

**Blocked ID: **_Prep up those lips, Juliet. Your Romeo is coming home. You're welcome. Oops, forgot that he was never yours, -A_

Bianca frowned reading the text. If she hadn't heard about the body, she would have thought it was Alison. After all, it was Alison's favorite thing to play games with them. But this text couldn't be from her.

So who the hell was A?

* * *

"Are you sure you want to go to the funeral?"

Bianca glanced to see her mother staring at her full of worry so she hugged her briefly. "I'll be fine, mum. I need this closure. Besides it would be rude to Alison's family if I didn't come to pay my respect."

"I know that, honey. I just... I really don't want you to be depressed, seeing her body... and," her mother sighed, caressing her cheek, "meeting Jason again."

A smile crept up on her face, "I'm not _that _fragile, mum. Jason might be my first boyfriend but I think I can handle him for a day or two. Come on, we will be late."

But she knew how obvious it was to know she was lying. She was sure her stiff smile already gave her away since her mother still looked at her dubiously. When the church was on her view, Bianca could feel her heart thumping hard against her ribs and her stomach twisted around. Could she really do this? Entering the church and stared at Alison's dead body. Reuniting again with Dilaurentis family, _with _Jason, and watching them grieved for her death. She felt a hand touched her shoulder and glanced to see her mother with the same worried expression, looking this close to pull her back to the house and lock her in until everything was gone.

So Bianca fixed her head back towards the church, not wanting to lose this only chance she might get. What she said earlier was partially right. She _really _needed a closure. Although maybe not from Alison, like the others who went to the church. No, she needed her closure from Jason. She needed to hear his explanation, why he did what he did a year ago. And if it really had to come to that, she wanted him to say goodbye properly so she could move on.

Even with that determination, Bianca still wasn't prepared when she stepped in the church and easily spotted Jason in the crowd, standing next to his mother. He was completely different than the last time she saw him. Gone was his long unkempt hair and the scruff that made her tickles sometimes when they kissed. Now he wore black suits, instead of his normal long shirt and jeans. In front of her was no longer Jason who partied almost every day. She couldn't even find any trace of Jason she fell in love with. This version of Jason... he looked like a stranger with a familiar face for her instead.

"Bianca!" Mrs. Dilaurentis was the first one who noticed her and beckoned her to come over, causing Jason to turn towards her as well, "thank you for coming, honey."

Bianca forced a smile and hugged her, avoiding Jason's stare on her, "I'm so sorry for your loss, Mrs. Dilaurentis."

"Thank you, Bianca. You're always a sweet girl to us," Mrs. Dilaurentis glanced at Jason briefly, "I asked the other girls to sit together up front. It's what Alison would have wanted."

"Yes, of course. I'd be honored." She hugged Mrs. Dilaurentis once more before walking towards the front where she saw the other girls already sat in the front. Her heart was beating hard when she passed Jason, her head bowed down to avoid glancing at him. She almost stumbled on her step when she felt his fingers brushed hers lightly. Didn't dare to see his expression, Bianca quickened her pace and leave the Dilaurentis family.

Spencer was the first one who noticed her tense expression. "B? What's wrong?" Then she noticed Jason was stealing glances towards their direction and realized what was happening. "Come on," she said, pulling Bianca's wrist so she could squeeze between her and Aria. "You okay?" she asked quietly as Bianca nodded her head slightly and rested her head against hers.

Bianca closed her eyes, tuning out the conversation around her. Her heart was still beating hard from earlier. For the first time in a year, they were standing really close to each other. And that slight brush... she sighed, still couldn't wrap her mind around it. Was it just coincidence that their fingers touched each other? As much as she wanted to turn her head around, Bianca couldn't find the courage, too scared of the rejection. Too scared to find out that it was just her imagination.

Was it really wrong of her to think more about Jason when Alison's dead body lying in front of her?

"...B? How about you?"

Aria's voice pulled her back to reality. "Hm? What? Sorry, I didn't hear you."

"Did you get text from A as well?"

Bianca opened her mouth to answer when a buzz from her phone distracted her. She glanced down to read the text and bit her lips. Her grip tightened on her cellphone, clamping down the urge to throw it away out of anger.

**Blocked** **ID:** _If only they knew you worried about meeting the brother again instead of grieving for the dead sister -A_

* * *

Jenna Marshall's arrival at the funeral was really unexpected. None of them thought Jenna would return the moment Alison's death was made public. But Bianca had to applaud her boldness to come in Alison's funeral after what happened that night. Although it was not Jenna that made her lose focus on the funeral process, unlike the other girls. The whole time her mind was spinning a way to greet Jason properly. She couldn't be too familiar with him after what happened last year, but it would be too awkward if she kept avoiding him.

When the ceremony was finished, Bianca was among the first one to stand and bolt away from the church. Her friends quickly followed her and only Spencer knew why she was acting jittery like that. They were just out from the church when someone stood in their way. A confused look appeared on their face when neither of them recognize the person. Only Hanna seemed to fidget a little bit seeing him.

"Emily, Spencer, Bianca, Aria, and Hanna," he said.

"Do we know you?" Spencer asked.

He gave out his name cards to each of them, "I'm Detective Wilden. I understand you were all good friends with the victim."

"Yeah," Aria answered, still looked confused like the others, "we were."

"I'm gonna need to talk to each one of you."

"We talked to the police when Alison went missing."

The smile in Wilden's face still didn't disappear, "And I intend to go over every one of your statements. This is no longer a missing person investigation. It's a murder," he glanced at each of them, watching their reaction closely, "rest assured. I will find out what happened that summer."

All the scenarios Bianca had been playing in her mind to pick the best one to say it to Jason completely disappeared when she heard it. Another questioning? Another investigation? The name card almost scrunched up under her strong grip. This couldn't be happening. "Well, I hope you don't forget to introduce yourself to our parents too," Bianca said, staring straight at the detective, "after all, we're all still a minor, Detective Wilden. Other than that, we'd be happy to help with Alison's investigation."

"Of course. I'll keep that in mind."

That name card was completely crumpled when Detective Wilden finally walked away from them. Bianca threw that card into the trash can nearby in anger, startling her friends. When they found Alison's body, she thought this was the end. No more would that night haunt her in her sleep. That she could stop the guilt and regret from eating her alive. She thought they could close that chapter of their life and moved on.

But apparently Alison still didn't want to leave their life yet, Bianca thought bitterly. She just had to put them through those horrible moments in the interrogation room again, making them felt as if they were at fault for letting this happened to Alison. Even on her death, Alison still had a way to pull the strings on them. Had she known this would happen, the pain and anger she had to contain inside her throughout the year, Bianca wouldn't try to befriend with Alison. She would find another way to get close to Jason instead or even chose to forget about him over the summer.

Simultaneous rings alerted them that they all had received a text. It didn't take a genius to realize they had the same text from the same person. Bianca frowned reading the latest text. Wonderful. Everything had repeated itself from last year, only this time there was a cyber psycho trying to scare them. Honestly she wouldn't be so surprised if actually there was something wrong with this town.

Bianca sighed when she noticed the not-so-subtle glances and whispers the town people giving at her and her friends. This was definitely not the high school life she had planned before.

* * *

_Hope you guys enjoy the first chapter. Please don't forget to leave a review. It will mean a lot to me :) Let me know if you want to read the rest ^^_


	2. Truth Is Always Hard To Admit

**_Truth is Always Hard to Admit_**

"Ugh, I feel like an idiot."

Spencer rolled her eyes hearing the same sentence over and over again coming out of Bianca's mouth ever since she barged into her room in the morning. "Yes, you are," she said flatly while scribbling on her notebook, "bad, bad Bianca."

"I _am _a dumb idiot! How could I just stand there like a frozen fish?" Bianca sat up from the bed, "what _is_ wrong with me? I can't literally form a sentence, Spence! I didn't even think I remembered my own name yesterday!"

Last night was a disaster. After the imminent threat that detective left hanging above them _and _the last group text they received from A, they found it hard to focus on anything else. It was a good thing that their families were very lenient that day and let them hang out without any questions. They went straight to Apple Rose Grille, not feeling to talk in one of their houses. Their parents would definitely check them up randomly just to make sure they were alright and they could overhear their conversation. The last thing they needed right now was to put their parents on alert and more protective.

All of them thought that A was Alison until they found her body, since Alison was supposed to be the only one who knew of their secret. It was then that they realized how Alison knew each of their secrets while they barely knew hers. Only Bianca and Spencer knew snippets of Alison's secret life, like how Alison was seeing someone older the summer she went missing and he was supposed to have a girlfriend already. At least they didn't know who that person was. She could barely contain her surprise to learn that Spencer actually knew about it. And the girls was too absorbed about the new piece of information to notice how she fidgeted in her seat for awhile.

Bianca couldn't be more grateful when Jenna coming into the Grille, ceasing their conversation and the girls ended up choosing to leave the place discreetly. It seemed their guilt over what happened to Jenna was still huge enough that they were uncomfortable being around her that long.

But that wasn't the end of her evening as she would have thought. No. Just as they walked out of the Grille, Jason was already there, leaning against his new car, and still dressed in his black suit. He clearly was waiting for them, _her_, since he walked towards them when he caught them walking out. The girs, except for Spencer, decided to leave them alone even though they clearly still stole a glance back to her every few steps. Bianca remembered how her heart literally skipped a beat when Jason stopped in front of her and smiled at her. She barely heard what he was saying, only that after that he raised his hand and looked at her expectantly.

She was still too shocked to even register what he was trying to ask her.

Recalling what happened last night only made Bianca even more distressed and embarrassed at herself. She screamed into the pillow to muffle it, couldn't believe with how stupid she must looked like yesterday, gaping at Jason's offered hand like it was something made of alien. "Spence!" she whined when she notice her closest friend was still focusing on her laptop instead of hers, "I'm dying in here!"

"Mm hmm," was just what Spencer said, completely blissful of how distressed Bianca looked like in her bed. "How embarrassing indeed. Poor B. Hey!" she turned at her friend who just threw another pillow and glared at her. Sighing, Spencer put her laptop away and walked over to her bed. When Bianca still had scowling face on, she grabbed a pillow to her lap and pulled her wrist until that girl rested there. "Did he contact you after that?" she asked while combing her hair.

Another muffled groan from Bianca was enough to answer her question.

"Well… at least he looked like he still liked you right, if he waited for you in front of the Grille?"

Bianca immediately sat up, surprisingly with a more agonized look. "Do you really think after how I react last night he would still like me?" she asked desperately, "I really screwed it up."

"Well you don't know that," Spencer said, trying to soothe her mind before she lost her closest friend to craziness.

"Really? So if you were in Jason's shoes, you wouldn't think me as a crazy person?"

Last night Spencer actually had to push her towards Jason to get her legs finally moving and Bianca almost stumbled down had it not been for Jason who was already close to her and cushioned her fall to his chest. Her face immediately colored in blush as she stepped away from him, muttering apologies, before shooting a glare at Spencer who shrugged back and left her alone with Jason. It went really awkward after that and her mind was completely blank, could't find out an escape conversation for them.

After all what could a person say to someone who just bailed on her without any explanation?

"Well... I wouldn't say it like that," Spencer said hesitantly, remembering the scene she saw before turning around the corner. "But you kind of give a vibe you didn't want to talk to him. It's not your fault," she quickly said seeing how Bianca's face fell hearing her, "I get that you were still shocked seeing him there, but he... doesn't know that."

Great. No wonder after few moments of awkward silence, Jason decided to back away and offer her a ride home. He didn't even bother to say anything over the ride and immediately sped off without saying goodbye or anything after she went out of the car. Spencer was right. Maybe that was why Jason hadn't contacted her at all. He must have thought the way she didn't respond and avoid his stare was her way to tell him she didn't want him back in her life anymore. Bianca groaned, banging her head against the pillow repeatedly, "great. I've been waiting and hoping to meet my first boyfriend again for a year and now he probably thought I'm crazy. Can it get any worse than this?"

Spencer glanced down at her and slightly pursed her lips, "depends. Did you get any more text from A?"

Bianca groaned, "please don't remind me of those crazy texts. I'm this close wanting to throw my phone to the wall right now."

"Wait, A sent you another text? When? What did it say?"

Instead of answering, Bianca just took out her phone from her jeans pocket and threw it towards Spencer who immediately read the latest text Bianca had from A. She noticed that it dated the night of the funeral after the girls saw Jason drove her away from the Grille.

**Blocked ID: **_Aw, seems Romeo is doing just fine without his Juliet. How does that feel, bitch? -A_

"Romeo and Juliet? Really?"

Bianca shrugged her shoulder, "right? Just because we never saw each other at all for almost a year, doesn't mean we're Romeo and Juliet." She then took her phone away from Spencer and scrolled through her contacts until it reached Mrs. Dilaurentis' number. She stared at the number and then hesitantly asked, "do you think it's too rude if I ask Mrs. D about Jason now?"

"Wow, stalker much?"

"I can't exactly call Jason and said '_hey, sorry for acting like a blubbering idiot. Want to meet again? Promise my brain will be working this time. Kiss kiss'_, can I?"

Spencer shrugged her shoulder, "why not? You got nothing to lose anyway."

"Ugh, you're so not helping!" Bianca groaned out of frustration. The more she fretted over this, the more frustrated she felt at herself. She sighed before standing up and grabbed her bag. "Gotta go. My mum already set up appointment with a dietitian _and_ personal trainer for me," she said, rolling her eyes, "yay me!"

"Wait, she's really doing that? I thought you were just joking."

"Well, when your mum is an ex supermodel slash fashion designer with size 2 body, she also expects you to have the same figure. Size 8 is borderline obesity for her standard. You have no idea how hysterical she was when she first found out about my new wardrobe." Bianca sighed when she checked the clock, "and I'm going to be late because I have to literally walk over there."

Spencer chuckled at the helpless look she got from Bianca and stood up as well, "come on, I'll drive you there."

* * *

The meeting with her new dietitian and personal trainer only fouled her mood for the next few days. Everything that came out of their mouths was ridiculous. How did they expect her to follow the workout plan they drew up when she already had her daily schedule almost filled up? Somehow she felt her mother sometimes forgot that Bianca was still in high school and took 6 AP classes or that she already had her ballet and violin classes. Not that it should surprise her considering her mother was mostly in their New York house and only came by once or twice a week. Her father was mostly in Philadelphia the whole day in his lab. The only reason why Bianca's family hadn't moved out of Rosewood was because this was her grandmother's house and neither of them had the heart to sell it or let strangers occupied it.

Though long distance family relationship didn't really stop her parents from watching her every move and demanding full report on her day, calling her almost every hour after class to make sure she was alive and fine. They even had the police searching for her once, when she forgot to charge her phone after school and went straight to her dance studio to practice. She still remembered how scared her teacher was when the police thought she was her kidnapper.

It seemed her foul mood was clearly portrayed in her face since most of the students who saw her immediately looked away and pretended not to see her. She rolled her eyes at their antics. Was it really that necessary? At least her mood was lightened a bit when she spotted Spencer near her locker, dangling a travel mug at her. "You really are my savior," Bianca sighed happily after she had her first dose of tea of the day.

"Wow, did you really come straight from gym?" Spencer asked, noticing the gym bag on Bianca's shoulder. "I don't get it. Why can't you just lie to your mum and skip gym?"

"Can't. The personal trainer really watched me like a hawk and I even overheard her talking to my mum after I'm done. And I just got my car key privilege back," she groaned when she felt her muscles sore if she moved her shoulder. "Hey, do you think you can ask Wren to make a letter to my mum saying that I'm not allowed to work out?"

Spencer rolled her eyes, "don't be such a cry baby. First time is always like that. You'll get used to it later."

Before Bianca could retort back at her, someone called out their names to come to the principal's office through school broadcast. She shared a confused look with Spencer when Aria, Hanna, and Emily were also called there. None of them seemed to know why the principal wanted to see them. It was when they were halfway to the office did Aria's phone rang out, which turned out to be a text from A. _Dead girls walking_, was what it said. They exchanged nervous look to each other. Suddenly neither of them seemed wanting to move forward to the office anymore. Clearly someone in the office had something that could destroy their life, probably sent by A itself. Bianca scowled at the mocking text from A. If A wanted to scare them off before they even knew what was happening, well it worked. She glanced at her friends who were still unsure what to do with the text. "Come on," she said, tugging at Spencer and Aria who were next to her, "let's get this over with."

It didn't really surprise her when it turned out to be Detective Wilden who was calling them in with an intimidating thick file on his hand. Of course he would try cornering them in a school. She should've expected it, knowing his reputation from before. Neither of the girls liked the way he smirked at them when they came in, as if he was satisfied seeing them nervous, or the way he purposefully reread that thick file while stealing a glance at them. He beckoned them to sit on the sofa in front of him while he leaned on the principal desk. The principal, Bianca noticed with a frown, was nowhere to be found. Did the detective deliberately ask their principal to leave them alone?

As she suspected, Detective Wilden wanted them to tell him again what they remembered from the night Alison went missing, play to play. Even if the girls had repeated exactly what they remembered, only omitting the part they were underage drinking, Bianca could see how Wilden still didn't believe them. He might played along with what they said but the way he repeated their statements while checking on his files clearly showed he suspected them of something but he himself still didn't know what. She was sure there was no hard evidence that pointed either of them had anything to do with Alison's murder because if there was any, they wouldn't be talking in here. Instead he would definitely call them down to the station and interrogated them thoroughly there.

It didn't help that they were all still panicked over A's worst timing text. From the corner of her eyes, she could see only Spencer was able to control her expression and voice when talking to Wilden. Emily and Hanna couldn't even hold their gaze on him for more than a few seconds. Bianca didn't know how her expression was but she was sure she didn't look like a deer caught in headlight. Yet she was completely thrown off guard when he suddenly focused his attention only on her. "And how about you, Bianca?" Wilden asked, just as the girls thought they were finished. "You weren't with them in the barn when Alison went missing and," he glanced down at his file, "you said here Spencer later called you to ask if you saw Alison and then you went to the barn to meet them?"

Bianca slowly nodded while her mind trying to figure out what angle he was going to twist it up. "Anything else you want to follow-up, detective?" She repeated the same word he had used earlier when Spencer asked if he was interrogating her. He was trying to psych her out, she suspected that, hoping that she or someone else made a slip that he could use to build a case against them.

"Why weren't you there?" He put down the file and folded his hands, watching her expression closely. "You're all close friends and a tight-knit group. You should be in the barn, having _slumber party_," he sneered at the last part, "but you're not. Why?"

She was stunned hearing his question. It couldn't be… Was he really trying to do what she thought it was? "I'm in Dilaurentis house, as you can read on the file," Bianca answered truthfully.

"Really?" Bianca didn't like the way his smirk widened hearing her answer. "And why were you there? Alison was supposed to be in the barn, right? Is there any other reason that makes you come to that house instead when your friend isn't at her house?"

Inside Bianca was seething in anger. She was right. He really did try twisting her statement! Her hand gripped her travel mug tightly, desperately wishing she could just throw it to his smug face. Wilden knew why she could go to that house even if Alison weren't there and he didn't need to look at the report file to find it out. It took her quite a while but she finally remembered why he looked so familiar. Every time Jason went out on parties and took her with him that summer, that blasted detective was also there. Or did he purposefully forget how he harassed her sometimes for being underage in the party even if there were lots of other underage he could bother there? "I was with Jason," she answered through gritted lips, "I wanted to ask him something so I went to find him instead."

"Oh right. You _were_ dating him, weren't you?" Wilden mockingly said, as if he just remembered it now. "And what exactly did you ask him for?"

"Nothing that concerns you or this investigation," she answered coldly.

Wilden raised his eyebrow, "really? I think I get to decide which one is relevant and which one is not, don't you?"

"You really don't," she countered back, "all you need to know is that I'm with him until Spencer's call woke me up."

The girls shot nervous and worried look when Bianca and the detective launched into a tense staring match. If Bianca kept being stubborn like this, it would only make them looked guilty and suspicious in Wilden's eyes. "Look," Spencer spoke up, breaking the tension between Bianca and the detective. As much as she applauded her friend to try challenging a police officer, she would like it better if Bianca did it without her around. She didn't need additional suspense in her life any more than what she had right now. Pretty sure the other girls would agree with her as well. "We've told you everything we know, just like we did the night she went missing."

"I know, and you see, the thing is, it's almost _exactly_ what you said last year. Almost like… it was rehearsed."

Bianca rolled her eyes, "or perhaps we have very distinctive memory about that night because we kept replaying in our mind over and over. You're not the only one who wants to know what happened to Alison, detective."

"Are you, really?" Wilden laughed, mocking her counter statement, "do you really want to know what really happened that night, Bianca? For what?"

"When it always keeps me awake at night, yes," she snapped back. "What are you trying to insinuate here, detective?"

Aria quickly grabbed her arm to hold her back when it looked like Bianca was about to literally attack the detective. "Like Spencer said, we've told you everything we know," she said forcefully, ending their conversation for now. Wilden only smirked at them when letting them to leave the room. "What were you thinking?" she hissed at Bianca when they were in safe distance from the office and they could let out a relieved sigh. "I can't believe you were about to attack him like that."

"Aria's right," Spencer said quietly, "you can't just attack a police officer, B, verbally or literally."

Bianca rolled her eyes, hearing how over worried they were. "He was getting on my nerve and I really don't like the way he questioned me." She glanced around, finally noticing how crowded the hallway was, and then realized that it was lunch time. Her friends also then noticed how it wasn't that safe talking in the hallway so they silently agreed to head towards the cafeteria. Besides, after barely escaping the confrontation with that detective, they really needed food to fuel their energy up again.

"He knows we're lying," was what Aria said once they were seated in the cafeteria.

"He's just baiting on us, trying to get a slip from us."

Hanna nodded, agreeing to Bianca, "besides, lying is not a crime."

"And we're not exactly lying, Aria. We just… omitted something that's not of their concern." Bianca added seeing that Aria was still looked troubled over the conversation with Wilden.

"It's still called lying, B," Spencer interrupted, giving her a pointed look, "and it's a crime if you're giving false statements to the police. It's called obstruction of justice."

"I hardly think us lying about drinking is going to affect the investigation, Spence," Bianca said dryly, "relax, guys. Wilden doesn't have anything more than what he had a year ago, which is why he's cornering us like that. If he has something on us, he would've called us _and _our parents down instead."

Even when deep inside they knew Bianca was right, neither of them was able to cast away the anxiousness they felt right now. There was a reason why A suddenly texted them after they were called to the office earlier. There must be something connecting them with Alison's murder that they didn't realize yet. "We also knew who might have wanted to hurt her," Spencer said quietly what they had been thinking since it was officially announced that Alison was murdered.

"Who? Jenna?" Bianca scoffed, "she's _blind_ and she moved to Philly right away after the accident. How on earth could she do that to Alison?"

Spencer shot a glare towards her and hissed, "well, she could hire someone for that."

"Again, _how_? I don't know how advanced her school in Philly was but it really takes long time for blind people to adjust their living style. Not to mention the emotional pressure they had. I really doubt she can sneak a me time googling assassin for hire there."

"Can you be serious for once, B?" Spencer asked exasperatedly, "this is not the time to throw bizarre theories."

Bianca sighed, "I _am _being serious in here, Spence. Do you know how illogical you sound? There is this huge part of Alison's life that we never knew and who knows, there might be someone else other than Jenna who had stronger motive to kill Alison."

"Still, we should have told the police the truth about Jenna's accident the night it happened," Emily interjected the fight, voicing out their hidden regret since it happened.

Hanna rolled her eyes and gave each of the girls pointed look, "I wanted to, remember?"

"We had a chance to do more than just to tell the truth," Aria said quietly, "all of us had a chance to stop Ali."

"Sorry, _all _of us?" Bianca glanced at Aria incredulously, "I didn't even know what was happening back then and you guys just roped me in to that mess. Now Jenna must have thought I was part of that night."

* * *

**_July 4th 2009_**

**_Emily's Room_**

_That summer the girls decided that they would have a sleepover in Emily's house rather than watching the fireworks outside instead. They had planned this sleepover for weeks already, even before the school ended. Even though she was rather disappointed that they wouldn't do it in Dilaurentis' house instead, at least Bianca relieved it got her out from the whole bring-your-daughter-to-work scheme her mother tried to pull on her. As much as she would have loved trying out her mother's new line, she didn't want to spend most of her summer with surrounded by her mother's workers as they were busy preparing for the fashion week. When she arrived in Emily's house, Aria and Hanna were already there, flipping through magazines Hanna brought._

_"Ladies," Bianca greeted cheerfully, holding up five large red shopping bags with her mother's brand logo, "special delivery of Lexington Design Summer Collection, as promised."_

_Three of them gasped and dropped whatever they were doing, rushing to grab one bag from her hands. Hanna was the first one who rummaged through the clothes on her bag with gleeful look, "No way! I thought you were joking!"_

_"Since when do ever I break my promises?"_

_Aria took out the clothes from her bag, recognizing the same one she saw being put a display in Rosewood Mall. "Are you sure your mum is fine with it?" She glanced at Bianca, looking concerned, "I saw how much this shirt is."_

_"Don't worry," Bianca grinned, knowing exactly her mother's purpose when she sent these bags, "it's her I-give-your-friends-amazing-stuffs-so-you-better-come-up-here-soon bribe. And she matched them up from your styles she seen in pictures I sent to her, so you definitely should like it."_

_Hanna sighed happily. It was really nice to have friend whose mother was in fashion business─ she got inside knowledge on fashion that she couldn't get from magazines and free sample sometimes. Even though she was still not confident enough to wear it in public sometimes. "I don't get it. You kept refusing to come up to New York every summer. If I were you, I would definitely spend more time in there, B. Don't you get bored with Rosewood at some point?"_

_"Really, Hanna? Do you even have to ask?" Aria threw a smirk at Bianca. "'Oh Jason, are you always this good playing basketball?', 'Hey, let's hang out in Kissing Rock. Maybe Jason will kiss me there.', 'Do you think Jason will come to the party?'" She said in a high pitched voice, doing a very poor imitation on what Bianca had been doing since the summer started._

_"Oh right!" Emily couldn't help but joining in as well, "and remember this one? 'Guys, which one do you think will make Jason want to take it off? The white one? Or the red one?"_

_They shrieked when Bianca threw pillows at them but still couldn't stop laughing at her flushed face. As smart and meticulous as Bianca could be, she was really poor on being subtle or secretive. It didn't take long before the rest of them realized what she was trying to achieve in the summer. Especially with the way she was all twirling her red hair and smiling coyly whenever Jason was around. Most of them had to admit how they secretly admired how bold and brave Bianca was making a move on an older college boy, who by default should have been unapproachable to them. At least, as fun as it was, watching Bianca also taught them what to do or not to do when flirting with boys._

_Bianca rolled her eyes when her friends didn't bother to stop teasing her about Jason. "Hey at least I got some actions!" she cried out, defending herself when they reenacted the one time Jason was completely oblivious of her and she made a fool of herself slipped over banana peel in front of him, "that's more than any of you got!" When Aria and Hanna coughed and glanced pointedly at Emily, Bianca huffed realizing an error on her defense. "Okay fine, Emily won over me," she begrudgingly said, "but I had it more than you two!"_

_Their laughter ceased immediately after that but Bianca could see Aria and Hanna still snickered once in a while. "Where is Alison?" she asked, looking around, desperately wanted to change the topic, "she's the one who went harpy on me to come on time. And Spencer too. Are they cancelling on us?"_

_Before any of them could answer, the door to Emily's room opened and Alison walked in with Spencer trailing behind her. "What did we miss?" she asked brightly, looking around, before noticing the two untouched red bags near Emily's bed, "what's that?"_

_"Oh, a gift from my mum as promised. It's her summer collection." Bianca peeked inside each bag before grabbing one of them. "I think this is for you," she said before giving the last one to Spencer._

_Alison kept smiling as she took out the clothes from the bag and inspected it one by one. "I knew there is a reason to keep you around," she finally said, seemingly satisfied with what she received in the bag._

_"Wow you're welcome Alison, I really feel the love," Bianca commented dryly, "way to make me special in the group." She held back the urge to roll her eyes when Alison seemed not to be affected at all by her comment. Suddenly her phone buzzed on her pocket. Thinking it might be her mother checking in again,Bianca immediately took out her phone and read the text. Her smile lit up when she noticed the sender._

**Jason:**Come down, Fake Puff Girl. I'll show you something.

_Quickly she pocketed back her phone and grabbed her purse before Jason decided to change his mind. Bianca glanced at the girls who were busy comparing their new clothes. Good. If their attention was already on the clothes, they wouldn't notice that she was gone for a long time. She tilted her head to glance at the mirror, making sure her make-up and hair were still perfect, before quietly went towards the door. "And where do you think you're going?" Bianca winched when hearing Alison's question. She glanced back to see the girls staring at her expectantly. Guessed she was not as stealthy as she thought._

_Alison raised her eyebrow. "Well?" she asked again, her tone was more demanding now, "I'm waiting."_

_Bianca grinned sheepishly at them. "I reaalllyy need to go. Just a quick visit and I'll be back. Promise," she hurriedly added._

_The girls seemed to ready to let it be, judging from their amused face, except for Alison who pursed her lips. "I knew my stupid excuse of brother has an agenda taking us here," she said. Her eyes narrowed when she noticed faint blush on Bianca's face. "He was oh-so-eager to comply."_

_"Well, since you already knew…" she trailed off, taking a step backward towards the door one at a time. "I'll be quick! Love you guys!" Bianca quickly shot out of the room and went downstairs before Alison had a way to stop her. She took a deep breath when she reached the front door and opened it._

_Jason was still there, to her relief, playing with his keys absentmindedly with one hand and checked at his cell with another one. She had seen him earlier inside the brew when she passed there in hurry for her errand but it felt like a very long time for her. "Hey," she greeted, slightly nervous, as she walked down the small steps. Blush crept back on her face when she noticed him trailed his eyes over her before giving her a crooked smile. Suddenly Bianca felt a bit conscious on what she was currently wearing and fidgeted the hem of her dress. She chose to wear that dress earlier because it would be easier to take off if they were playing dress up as usual or changed into pajamas later on._

_Had she known Jason would call her out, she would have chosen a better outfit. At least not the old dress she had since sixth grade._

_"Here I thought you're too afraid of Ali and won't come out. I'm impressed," he teased her. It had been an ongoing debate between them on how deep her friendship with Alison actually was. Jason always said that compared to other girls who just followed whatever Alison said, Bianca was the only one who didn't seem to worship his sister that much. A Fake Power Puff Girl he always called her._

_Bianca grinned back, feeling the conscious feeling earlier started to vanish. "So what is it so important that you have to steal me away from my precious sleepover?" she murmured as she took a step closer to him, knowing that if she slightly moved her hand slightly, it would touched his._

_Her breath hitched when Jason unexpectedly grabbed her hand, intertwining his fingers with hers. He took a step forward to her, causing their bodies to barely touch each other. When Bianca braved herself to glance up, she froze seeing Jason leaned towards her. Her throat suddenly felt so dry that there was no sound could come out from it. His lips were so close to her─ she was sure that if she stood slightly on her tiptoes, their lips would touch. Bianca was about to close her eyes in response when Jason suddenly moved his lips close to her ears. "Let's watch fireworks," he whispered before leaning away, smirk plastered on his face when he noticed how flustered she was. "Or do you expect something else?"_

_She had to bite back a scowl at him for teasing her. Instead she tightened her fingers around his, in case he decided to change his mind and let her hand go. "I don't know... The girls and I planned this sleepover because we don't want to watch the fireworks outside. It's boring."_

_"Of course it's boring with them," Jason scoffed, "you have to watch it with the right person to enjoy it."_

_"And you think you are?" Her lips curled up in a smile when Jason only smirked back at her. She swung their intertwined hands slightly while glancing up at Emily's room window. There were faint shrieks of laughter and music heard from there. It seemed the girls already started their fun without her, perhaps even forgot that she was supposed to be there as well. Bianca glanced back to their intertwined hands again. "Fine," she then said, "but don't you think the town square is packed already?"_

_"In that case, we better hurry up then."_

_They were halfway walking towards the main street, in the middle of crossing the children's park, when the sky suddenly brightened up and loud crackles filled up the air as the fireworks shot up from the town square. "See? You made us late," Jason commented. He glanced down only to find Bianca didn't really pay attention to him anymore. Her eyes gleamed watching the fireworks danced above them and a huge smile seemed to permanently plastered on her face. Sometimes a shriek of laughter escaped her lips, especially when more than one fireworks lit up simultaneously. She unconsciously leaned towards him with her free hand grasped on his shirt._

_"OK, we really need to get─"_

_Bianca barely turned her head towards Jason when he leaned down and pressed his lips against hers softly. Her eyes fluttered close as she responded equally to his kiss. His free hand glided along her arm and up to the side of her neck before settling in the locks of her hair, holding her mouth tightly to his. He kissed her again and again, each kiss was more intense than the last. Her hand smoothed over his shirt, feeling the sculpted chest underneath it. He let go of their intertwined hand and encircled his hand around her, flushing her body pressed against him. A moan escaped her lips when Jason bit her lower lip and his fingers grazed over hem of her dress._

_The familiar siren noise disrupted their mood as it grew louder any second. Bianca couldn't help but let out a disappointed groan when Jason pulled away from her. A blush adorned her face when she heard him chuckling. Before she could even do or say anything, Jason bent down and pecked her lips lightly._

_"Isn't that towards Emily's house?" he asked._

_Bianca tiptoed to see over his shoulder. The police cars and fire brigade definitely went towards the block Emily lived. "Maybe we should check," she said, rather reluctantly. Just when everything moved the way she wanted to, something had to interrupt them._

_Jason laughed before pulling her close to him. He rested his hand on her hips as he led her back towards where Emily's house was. But when they were closer to Emily's house, her footsteps became faster realizing that there was blazing red of fire dancing in front of her, dangerously close to Emily's house. At some point Bianca changed her pace into a small sprint, desperately hoping that it wasn't Emily's house, that she didn't leave her friends only to have them trapped in a burnt house._

_"Bianca!"_

_Bianca wildly turned her head around before finding four of her friends huddled together, hiding behind the trees. "Oh my God!" she quickly ran towards them and hugged each of them shakily in relief. "I thought it was your house, Em!" she said, "I thought you guys... what happened?" Glancing at the source of fire, she realized that it was from Cavanaugh's house, or particularly on their garage. Frown appeared on her face when she noticed someone was taken into the ambulance. "Is that Jenna?"_

_Four of them exchanged nervous look at each other, as if they were silently discussing whether she should be told or not. But before Bianca could pester them more, they saw Toby was hauled into the back of the police car. "Ookayy..." she turned to her still guilty looking friends, "care to tell me why you all look so guilty?"_

_"Bianca," Alison sweetly called out not far from them and raised her eyebrow at their newly arrived friend, "a word."_

_Bianca threw a questioning glance at their friends who now refused to look at her and sighed before following Alison away from the crowd. "What did you do?" she immediately asked._

_"Why would you think I do something? Don't you see Toby is being escorted to the station?"_

_Her eyes narrowed at the mention of that scene, "because our friends looked very guilty and scared and you looked like you had accomplished something."_

_Alison smirked, raising her hand so she could pat Bianca's cheek. "Always so fussy and tried to mother everyone," she said with a sly expression before wiping the stain of smudged lipstick on Bianca's lips, "I wonder if that's why my brother fell for you."_

_"Really? You want to talk it here, right now?" Bianca scoffed, "I'm still waiting for the explanation, Alison. What the hell did you do?"_

_"Toby accidentally set a fire to the garage," Alison finally decided to answer, shrugging her shoulder, "and didn't know Jenna was in there. A tragic accident, I must say. I really hope she's fine."_

_But the way her smile looked so smug right now didn't convince Bianca to believe her. There must be something that Alison didn't tell her. The others wouldn't be that scared if they were just happened to witness the fire. "Toby or... someone posed as Toby?" she asked._

_The smile was wiped away from Alison's face as she stepped closer to her. "Why don't you just focus on making sure no one suspected you and my brother instead? With the way I see it now, it wouldn't hard to convince others, lets's say people in the uniform littering in the street right now, that you and Jason have done..." she glanced at Bianca's disheveled hair and smirked again, "more."_

_"Seriously? You really want to get your brother in trouble?"_

_"Wouldn't be the first time that I did," Alison said, giving her a slow, wicked smile. "Do you still want to know what really happened, B?"_

_Bianca gritted her teeth, clamping down any words she wanted to let out to her friend. She knew and witnessed how sometimes Alison manipulated things for her gain, not caring of the consequences she left, but Bianca never expected how heartless this girl in front of her could be. Threatening to tell Jason's drink and drug habit to cut him off from their grandmother's will was one thing, but to threaten getting him in trouble with police... and to look impervious of how much havoc she could inflict to Jason, to her own family... Bianca clenched her hands before turning around and walked away from Alison. If she stayed around Alison too much longer, she might not be able to control her emotion._

_"Where are you going?" Alison called out._

_Bianca glanced back, throwing a disgusted look at her. "I don't feel like doing sleepover anymore," she coldly stated before walking away from the smirking girl behind her. Their friends were standing not that far away from them, but far enough not to be able to hear their conversation, but she ignored them. All of them looked startled seeing her furious expression as she walked passed them without words. She was silently relieved when Jason was still hanging around, watching the scenes unfold in front of him. He also looked startled seeing her marched up towards him._

_"Let's get out of here," she said, grabbing his arm, and pulled him away from there, "please."_

_Bianca refused to talk to any of them afterwards until Alison tricked her, making her thought Jason was in real trouble. She drove to the Dilaurentis house completely panicked, only to find Alison and the girls were the only one waiting for her inside._

* * *

"I can't believe I did it... again."

Spencer had taken refugee in Bianca's since earlier that morning she found out that Wren had been kicked out. She never expected Melissa to find it out and that quick as well. The atmosphere in her house was really tense, especially with Melissa kept bringing up how she couldn't handle cancelling every single event by herself and glared at her every chance she got.

"First Ian and now Wren. What _is _wrong with Melissa's boyfriends? Can't they just focus on their girlfriend only?" Spencer looked up from the pillow and stared at her closest friend helplessly, "or is there something wrong with _me_?"

Bianca chuckled and plopped down her bed next to Spencer, "oh honey, the problem is with Melissa. She really can't pick her guy right. It's not your fault they liked you better than her. I mean, haven't you seen her? She's like the perfect living example of goody two shoes. God I hate her," she muttered, remembering every time Melissa was around when she went over to Spencer's house. "I could shake her down if you want me to."

That was true. Spencer didn't remember how it started exactly but somehow Melissa seemed to also return the sentiment. It was like one day Bianca had had enough of Melissa flaunting her superiority to them and snapped out. Since then both of them refused to be in the same room for more than few minutes voluntarily. At least it wasn't that bad enough to make her parents to forbid her from being friends with Bianca anymore. Now that she thought about it... only Alison seemed to know what the reason was. She remembered one day when they witnessed Bianca and Melissa arguing and ended up with Melissa storming away and told Spencer to choose her friends properly, Alison commented to Bianca how ugly a scorned woman was.

"No, thank you, I don't need any more reason for my parents to disown me."

Bianca pouted at being refused a chance to confront Melissa again. There went fun way to vent her frustration for the week. "And here I thought you want to be adopted to my family. Should I call my mum and tell her you changed your mind?" She shrieked, laughing, when Spencer threw pillow at her, before grabbing one of her own and it didn't take long before they launched in a pillow fight. How relieved she was when she saw Spencer's face was no longer gloomy and dark. At least this could take her mind off of situation at her home for few moments.

A loud bell ring distracted their pillow fight and Bianca immediately jumped out from her bed. "Oh, must be the pizza guy!" She grabbed her purse on the table and ran quickly downstairs to her front door. "Hey," she opened the door, "sorry for─"

It was definitely not the pizza guy who was standing in front of her.

"Hello, Bianca," he greeted with a smirk.

Bianca scowled seeing him instead, especially with _her_ pizza order on his hand. "Are you moonlighting as pizza guy now?" she asked, glancing around to see if there was anyone else with him.

"Unfortunately no. The pizza guy was here but I told him I can take them for you."

She rolled her eyes. "Of course you would do that. So? What are you doing here, _detective_?" Bianca sneered at the last part, irritated at the way he kept smirking at her all the time. As if he knew something she didn't. "I hardly think you're here to crash my pizza party."

"You're right, I don't." He raised his eyebrow at her, tapping his foot,"aren't you going to invite me in?"

"Why? So you can snoop around? I don't think so. Give me a warrant and I'll let you in," Bianca reached out to grab the pizza box from his hand but Wilden clamped down his grip on it and moved it away from her reach. "What do you want?" she asked, glaring at him.

"The real explanation. Where were you that night? I know you weren't with Jason Dilaurentis the whole time."

Her hand almost slipped from the doorknob, trembling. He wasn't supposed to know about that. Nobody was supposed to know that. There was no one else around who could see them... Bianca took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. "I don't know what you're trying to play in here," she said, silently hoped that her voice didn't come out too shaky to him, "but I _was_ with him the whole night."

Wilden widened his smirk as he stepped towards her, noticing how stiffened she was, "I'll find out the whole truth, Bianca, trust me. And it won't look good on you if you keep lying to me." He dropped the pizza box on her hand and placed down his name card at the top of it. "In case you want that last chance. Don't throw it away this time."

Bianca quickly stepped back into her house and shut the front door closed. Her heart was thumping hard against her rib cage as she leaned against the door, trying to composed herself. Even though Wilden made it sound like he knew about her that night, she knew he wouldn't find anything to prove him right. Yet it didn't stop her body from keep trembling until her legs gave her away and she dropped to the floor. Her shaky fingers reached for her phone and dialed the numbers she had been afraid to call these past few days.

"_This is Jason Dilaurentis. I can't take your call right now. So leave your message after the beep._"_  
_

"J, it's me," she whispered shakily as tears started to roll down her cheeks. "Can you come here, please? I just... I can't do this anymore. I need─" Bianca stopped abruptly, unable to finish her sentence. _I need you_. A simple sentence but with tremendous pressure and emotion laced around it. If she said that, would he really come back to her after the way she was that night after funeral? What if he didn't? She felt so foolish right now that she didn't really remember what he was trying to tell her that night.

"_If you would like to listen to your message, press 1. If you would like to record a new message, press 2. If you would like─_"

Bianca fumbled on her phone and tapped it once before listening to his voice mail greeting again. "Jason, hi!" she said, as bright as she could, wiping remaining of her tears. "Sorry about that night. I was really stressed out about everything and... If you're still up for it, do you want to meet up... again? We don't have to meet in Rosewood. I can come up to Philly or something. Let me know, okay?"

She took a deep breath, grasping her knees and pulling her legs close to her heart, as she rested her head to her knees. There was nothing to be worried of. Even if Wilden found out about that night somehow, it wouldn't affect the investigation since Alison wasn't involved in it. Alison didn't even know about this. It would be fine. She would be fine, with or without Jason. Her hand tightened her grip around her phone. She had dealt with it for a year without anyone's help.

"B? You need help down there?"

Hearing Spencer's voice floated from upstairs, Bianca quickly stood up and grabbed her purse. "No, I'm good! Coming right now!" she shouted back at her, crumpled that name card again and threw it to the bin next to her. She glanced at the mirror next to her, making sure there were no traces or signs that she was crying just now. Today was about Spencer and her family problem. There was no need to alarm her of something that happened in long time ago and had nothing to do with her.

But Bianca couldn't help but keep stealing a glance at her blank phone screen, desperately praying it would buzz up anytime soon this time.

* * *

_Thank you so much for the reviews, follows, and favorites. I'm really glad you guys like it! Don't forget to drop another review for this one ;)_


	3. Such Hope is Naught

**_Such Hope is Naught_**

There should be a universal guideline on how long was enough to wait for someone to call you back and what should you do in the meantime. It had been few days since she left that message and yet Jason still hadn't called her back. She hated the fact that she kept glancing at the phone every chance she got, hoping that her incoming call screen would pop out or at least an unread message from him. Moreover, she hated remembering how weak and scared she was after Wilden harassing her in front of her house, knowing that had she not called him, Bianca wouldn't spend her time tossing around in bed, unable to sleep, wondering why he hadn't called her back.

And what hurt more was that this wasn't the first time her call went unanswered. Jason didn't contact her when he and his family moved out in the middle of the night and she never saw him again until Alison's funeral. Bianca still remembered it vividly how shocked she was finding the Dilaurentis house bare from its occupants and furniture. She remembered how she froze in her spot staring at the empty house for long time until Spencer snapped her out of it. It was Spencer too who told her what happened to the Dilaurentis family. And Bianca didn't believed her because if he really left the town, Jason would tell her. He would say goodbye to her and she knew he had plenty times to do so. She was with him the whole day before he left until her mother picked her up for dinner!

But apparently she didn't know Jason as much as she thought. After hearing what happened, Bianca had tried to reach him over and over, days after days. The first thing she did in the morning and the last thing she did at night was staring at her phone, either to call him or waiting for his. It wasn't rare that she ended up sleeping with her hands gripping her phone tights. And everyday it always ended up with a complete radio silence from Jason. She couldn't sleep much at night with her minds keep coming up with reasons why he didn't contact her back and it always came out worse than the previous ones. In the rare times she could, it always ended up with her waking up in nightmares of what might happen to him. There were nights when she called up his number in tears, asking him what she did wrong, if he hated her now. But still Jason didn't contact her. By the times days had turned into weeks, and later into months, Bianca had lost hope to see Jason again, until they found Alison's body and he returned to hold funeral service for Alison.

And now it happened again, just like a year ago.

But this time she knew he was definitely still alive and breathing. This time she knew he wanted to talk to her─ at least that night he did. And Bianca refused to believe that that night was the last chance she ever had to talk to him. Maybe he was still too busy and hadn't gotten a chance to call her back, she first thought. But really, how long could a person to be so busy that he didn't have time to check his voice mail?

Or maybe his voice mail was too full, that he just decided to ignore them all. Maybe he still received many sympathy calls about Alison and he had had enough of it and just deleted his voice mail inbox. She knew she could just try and call him again. There was no restriction against that. But every time she made that decision, her fingers refused to follow order and stopped moving just as she was about to tap the call button. What if she was wrong? What if Jason really didn't want to talk to her anymore? That their one sided conversation that night was enough proof for him to leave her and Rosewood behind.

Never to look back, never to return.

Her phone screen barely lighted up when Bianca immediately sat up right and grabbed her phone to check on it, hoping it was Jason. Her expression but then fell when she noticed it was a text from Emily asking them to meet up so she tossed her phone back carelessly. She sighed and rested her head against her knees, as once again disappointment rose inside her. How many times more did she have to grab her phone, thinking it was Jason, only to have her hope shattered again? This was just not fair. It might be also her fault that night for leading him to might think that way, but this was too cruel for a punishment.

Once again her phone beeped and Bianca only glanced at it lazily, too reluctant to check. It might be just one of the girls asking why hadn't she come to Emily's. But right now she was not really in the mood to talk about Alison's memorial. Not when her sentiments towards Alison was really low. Because all Bianca could think of when Alison popped up in her mind was that if she didn't get herself killed, Bianca would still be together with Jason. But then her phone beeped again. Bianca rolled her eyes and groaned at her friends' persistence. Honestly, they didn't really have to do every step together. One of them could just fill her in about what they did to the shed. So she grabbed her phone again, ready to fire up a group text to her friends that she wouldn't be coming. But her latest text wasn't from either of the girls.

**_Blocked ID:_**_ Poor Bianca. Hasn't it occurred to you that Jason might already find his new Juliet? -A_

Before she could stop herself, the phone had already flown out of her grasp and into the wall in front of her. Bianca breathed heavily from anger, staring at the broken pieces of her phones. How on earth would A know about this? That bitch was like _everywhere. _It was as if he or she could watch their every move because Bianca was certain no one else knew she was trying to get in touch with Jason. Even Spencer only knew that she wanted to contact him but was still afraid about it. She glared at her broken phones, as if daring it to light up and showed another message from A.

Knowing she had to get a new phone because of this, Bianca reluctantly snatched her bag and almost sent her picture frame to the floor. She took a deep breath, trying to control her anger, then placed back the frame to its usual position. A sad smile appeared on her face as she stared into the picture of Jason carrying her on piggyback last summer. The last picture she took with Jason. It was taken four days before Alison went missing and they were lounging in the lake, enjoying the quiet moment without interruption from Alison since she was visiting her grandmother in Georgia. Those were days she still treasured in her mind. She gingerly touched Jason's laughing face and sighed.

Was this how she was supposed to content herself? By staring at his picture only and never to touch him anymore?

* * *

"Hey, where were you yesterday? We waited for you the whole day." Spencer immediately asked when she finally saw Bianca walking down the hallway to the locker beside hers. She raised her eyebrow when Bianca completely ignored her question and instead busied herself with her lockers. That was weird. When she left her house a week ago, Bianca was completely like her usual self aside from being slightly jumpy after getting the pizza. "Bianca!" she raised her voice slightly when Bianca closed her locker and turned around to walk away without acknowledging her.

When Spencer grabbed her shoulder, Bianca turned around sharply. Her arm raised, ready to fight back her attacker, only to have Spencer standing behind her. "Oh my God," she exclaimed, "don't scare me, Spence!"

Spencer rolled her eyes, relieved that it was just her imagining things. She really needed to stop reading too much into the situation. "hey, you're the one who's sleepwalking. I've been calling you the whole time," she said, staring at her friend in concern, "something's wrong? Did you not get your morning tea or something?"

She quickly offered her a smile, "no. Nothing's wrong. I just so tired after the gym and I haven't got a chance to study for next week's material." When Spencer's face didn't change at all, Bianca grabbed her shoulder. "I'm _fine. _Okay?" she said forcefully and let go of her shoulder when Spencer nodded back. "Do you want to come over and study later?"

"Yes please!" Spencer immediately brightened up. "I totally need to finish my Russian History paper and I can't do it with Melissa around. Why didn't you come yesterday?"

"I had to get a new phone."

Spencer stared at her, disbelief. That got to be the worst excuse Bianca could have made up. "And why would you need new phone?" she demanded.

"Because mine's broken. What's with the third degree?" Bianca asked back with a frown, not liking with how Spencer just shot off questions after questions. It felt like she was trying to accuse her of something. "Well?" she asked again when Spencer didn't answer her question back. Her frown deepened when Spencer grabbed her arm and half pulled her towards the nearest empty classroom. "Seriously?" she turned around to face Spencer, "just because I didn't come to─"

"Someone followed us to the shed yesterday."

Annoyance that started to build inside of her was immediately forgotten hearing that. "What? Oh my God, are you all alright?" Bianca quickly asked, checking over her friend for any sign of injuries. Her mind already formed worst scenario possible happened to her friends. "Did you find out who it was?"

"We're fine, none of us got hurt," Spencer quickly answered before panic overcame her friend's senses. "It was A," she watched as Bianca's eyes widened, "yeah, we got this text. Did you happen to get any text yesterday?"

Bianca read the text from A and frowned seeing the time stamp on that text. That couldn't be right. If A was following the girls to the shed and send that text to them, then how could A send that text to her almost at the same time? She quickly took out her phone and checked the last text she received from A yesterday.

**13:28. Blocked ID:** _Broken heart, broken phone. What should I break next? Your body? -A_

**13:26. Unknown:** _Heads up, BFFs. It's open season on liars and I'm hunting... -A_

"Something's wrong?" Spencer asked, seeing the frown her face.

Bianca locked her phone immediately and smiled at her friend, "nope. All is fine." She returned the phone to Spencer who still had suspicious look on her face. "It's nothing, Spence," she insisted. It was better not to spook anyone, either her friends or A. _Especially_ her friends. They were easily freaked out if something suspicious circling on them, just like when that Wilden called them to the office or how they were fidgeting and looking openly guilty whenever Jenna was around. She would tell them, eventually, but she needed more proof. "How's home?" Bianca suddenly asked, hoping it would take her mind off of A business.

Spencer sighed, "home is not home when Melissa is around. She's like everywhere! And she always moped or whined, playing the innocent victim, whenever I came to the room. I tried to apologize all the times but she always shot it down."

"Okay, okay, calm down." Bianca said in soothing voice, "I'm sure your parents will be fine after few days. Melissa can't play jilted bride that long, okay?" When she saw Spencer reluctantly nodded, she then looped her hand around Spencer's, "come on. Let's get to our class."

But the scene that appeared when they walked out of the classroom was not what either of them expected. Bianca was stunned to see Toby Cavanaugh made his appearance after a year long disappearance. She didn't expect even Toby to return back as well once Alison was declared dead, to the same school that expelled him a year ago. But maybe Jenna needed help to get around in the school so they accepted Toby back. When he walked towards her direction, Bianca gave him an unsure smile and a brief nod. She sighed, watching as his expression remained unchanged. No wonder he was the perfect scapegoat for Jenna Thing. Even she was wary of him when she knew he had nothing to do with the fire.

"He's back too?" Aria hissed when they huddled together watching Toby taking Jenna to a classroom. "When did that happen?"

"Maybe she needs help sending radioactive emails," Hanna said nonchalantly.

Spencer glanced at Toby who just passed them, "yeah, or he may be sending a few of his own. _Don't _try to shoot me down on this." She quickly added before Bianca had a chance to point out flaws in her theory. Just like she did when they thought Jenna might be A.

"I wasn't going to say anything," she said defensively, "and I don't just shoot down all of your theories, Spence. Just the one I thought was crazy." Even if she wanted not to be suspicious of Toby, he had all the requirements needed to be A. Alison somehow managed to blackmail him into taking the fall and caused him to get kicked out of school and moved away. It was possible that he thought whatever Alison had on him was passed onto them when she disappeared, which was why he harassed them now.

"Hanna."

They almost jumped in fright hearing Wilden's voice behind them. Bianca had to bit back a scowl when he threw her a smirk before focusing his attention to Hanna. She frowned hearing him wanted to see Hanna _alone_ in the office. First he ambushed her in her house, holding pizza as his hostage, and now he did the same thing to Hanna in school. What was he trying to pull?

"What's going on? Why just her?" Aria asked around in panic seeing Hanna had no choice but to follow Wilden to the principal's office.

"Probably thinks she's easiest to crack," Emily said.

Bianca sighed. That one she had to admit it was true. Most of the times when Alison was trying to get them do something wild, like going to a college party for example, Hanna was always the first one to hesitate and panic at slightest change. Which was ironic in her opinion since she was the one with stealing habit now. "She is," she said, together with Spencer.

Neither of them was able to concentrate on the class until Hanna finally came out of the principal's office an hour later. While the girls surrounded Hanna, trying to find out what happened in that office, Bianca quickly ran towards the exit. Her eyes wandered around, trying to find that detective. She scowled when she noticed his car already sped away from the school. Next time she wouldn't let him go that easy.

* * *

The Kahn brothers' party was legendary among Rosewood High students and anyone would be dumb enough not to attend the party. Eric, the eldest Kahn, started it by throwing the first party of the year when he was freshman and even when he already moved up to New York, Noel continued his brother's tradition whenever their parents weren't around. Which was why even though she was not really in the mood for a party, Bianca found herself parking her car in front of the Kahn's front gate that night. There seemed to be an endless stream of her school friends walking through the gate. She sighed and checked her hair and makeup on her mirror before coming out of her car and joining the others into the party. It wasn't hard to notice Maya and Emily walking not far in front of her and she also saw Sean's car was already parked which meant Hanna should be inside as well. But she was not in the mood to talk to them. Or anybody for that matter. Making her way into the game room, as she remembered from countless time coming here Noel started joining his brother throwing parties, Bianca grabbed an empty cup and filled it with whiskey and coke before walking towards the forest behind Noel's house.

There were only few peoples there when she walked towards lines of trees and away from the house. Thankfully they were too busy either getting drunk or dancing to the music or even making out to notice her. Bianca snickered remembering the countless times she and Jason sneaking out from the parties for alone time. Her feet carried her automatically towards that one particular tree not far away from the house, but was hidden enough to attract attention from others. A hint of smile appeared on her face when she noticed that their carving was still there, looking like it was just freshly carved instead. She would have thought one of the Kahns would notice it and removed it by now. A giggle escaped her lips when she remembered how she made that carving with help from Jason. For something that was made when they both were drunk, it came out pretty good.

"Yeah, I thought it was pretty cute so I don't let anyone cut it down."

Bianca turned around in surprise only to find the younger Kahn was standing behind her with a slight smirk. "Noel Kahn away from a party and all by himself," she added after glancing around them and found no one else. Even she could barely hear the music and chatters from around the house from here. Her lips quirked into a smile, "that's a rare sight to see."

"Well, when I saw a pretty girl walking to the forest by herself, I couldn't help but following her too. Since I'm a very protective host and all."

She shook her head, laughing, "and does anyone ever fall for that?"

"This is my house, my party," he said, stepping closer to her until they barely touched, and bent down to whisper in her ear, "anything can happen so long as I wish it." But then the carving caught up his attention again and to Bianca's surprise, he stepped away from her. "I remembered following you two sneaked out in here few times," he then said, nodding towards the carving.

"Naughty, naughty Noel," she teased, "is that what you do in your parties, peeping on other people?"

"Only when I want to steal the girl."

Her cheek warmed up hearing his blunt answer. She barely even remembered a time when she flirted with someone after Jason or even have another boy interested in her. But then again this was Noel. He sprout out flirt and compliments as easy as saying hello. His eyes always wandered to other girls even when he was in a date. He changed girlfriends more than seasons changed in a year. She wouldn't be that surprised if that wasn't the first time he said it to a girl. Or if there were another girl in the same situation as hers right now. Bianca was about to leave him and return to the house when a thought entered her mind. There was nothing to lose here. Why would she care about what Jason would think if he found out? He was the one who left her without explanation.

And she desperately needed for a good time right now.

So Bianca stepped forward, closing the distance between her and Noel, and looped her hand around his neck. "Well," she smiled seductively, lacing her fingers on his hair, "this girl is definitely ready to be stolen away." Bianca slowly stood on her tiptoes and ready to kiss him, only to have her lips landed on his cheek. A frown appeared on her face when she pulled her head away, staring at him in confusion.

Noel Kahn, _the _playboy of her school, had blatantly rejected her advances. Could the night get any worse?

He took her hands that were around his neck and hair and pulled them away from him, but still not letting go of hers when they dropped to her sides. "Is that why you're out here in this particular tree instead of going crazy inside?"

Bianca winched when his remark hit the mark. The only reason why she pushed herself to go to this party was to come to this tree, remembering the good times she was here with Jason and the girls. Back where she had everything. "Touche," she said softly, leaning back against the tree. This seemed to be the story of her life from now on. Somehow she had the feeling that she wouldn't get any new love unless she left Rosewood. "I don't know if I should be glad or humiliated that Noel Kahn won't make a move on me," she said, grinning at him.

To her surprise, he was suddenly laughing hard, "are you kidding me? Do you have any idea how much I want to make a move on you?" He shook his head, amused, "If your boyfriend didn't scare me off every time I tried to get you alone in parties, you would fall for me hard, Lexington."

"Well, maybe you should make your move _before_ I have a boyfriend."

Noel snorted, "you weren't even dating back then and he already told me to back down. Remember fall 2008 at my cabin, and my brother and his friends crashed the party? I was going to come over to ask you out but Jason suddenly came to you and the girls and Alison thought he was just there to annoy her. He cornered me after the party and told me you're off limits. I still got shudder every time I remembered it. That dude is really scary if he wants to."

Her eyes widened in response hearing a new side of Jason that she didn't know existed. "Really?" She had no idea that Jason was already interested in her before she even braved herself to flirt with him. Her lips then curled up into a permanent smile.

"Really," he said mockingly repeated her word, rolling his eyes. "Well, if you're done with the past, come inside. It's been boring without you around, Bianca. You're always the life of the party."

She snorted, "I thought that was Alison's job. Or it's Hanna's now."

"Nah," he shrugged his shoulder, "Alison is more blowing things out of proportion. Hanna's too hung up trying to get it on with Sean. You're the perfect size of a spark we need." He glanced at the carving again, "let me know if you want it gone."

Bianca shook her head with a smile watching Noel returned back to his house and joined the crowd again. She could hear his shout slightly over the music, urging the others to keep drinking until the last drop. When she was sure she was back alone again, Bianca glanced back to the carving. She took out a pocket knife she prepared from her purse, in case she couldn't bear staring at the reminder of her old life. Just as it almost touched the carving of her first name initial, she stopped. Her hand wavered, remembering the time they carved this, before pocket knife dropped to the ground. She rested her head against the trunk, closing her eyes. It's not fair. Jason could go on with his life just that easy and she had to be the one stuck in Rosewood, being reminded of him every day.

Her phone beeped out and Bianca took it out, sighing. Maybe Spencer already finished her Russian History paper and decided to come. Though it was highly impossible even for a Hastings.

**Blocked ID: **_Alone in a party, B? Wait there, let me keep you company. Ain't I sweet? -A_

Bianca let out a frustrated shriek before stalking away from the forest. How was she supposed to have a peace of mind if A keep following her? She looked around warily, looking for anything suspicious. But as far as she could see, the nearest person to her was a couple heavily making out in between bushes. A couldn't be one of them since they looked too busy and didn't even notice her there. The party was officially ruined. So instead of going back to the house, she went towards the front gate, ready to call the night.

"Spencer?" she called out, recognizing the familiar back of her best friend. "Hey! I thought you said you're still swamped with the Russians," she grinned, approaching her when she saw nervous look on her face. "What's wrong?"

Spencer shook her head, "no, I just thought the guy back there was Toby." She sighed, "it's just my crazy thought. I remembered seeing Alison threatened Toby at that night so I was just thinking..."

"─that Toby is A?" Bianca whispered. Seeing the surprised look from Spencer told how right she was. "Yeah, that thought crossed in my mind too."

"But?"

Bianca shrugged, "I don't know. I just... I don't have the feeling he is. Don't you think it's too easy? That we knew who A was instantly?"

"Those crime novels you're reading has finally deluded your mind."

"...Maybe," then she grinned, "so done with the Russians?" When Spencer nodded back at her, she grabbed her arm, "well that definitely calls for a celebration. Get A off of your mind tonight. Study hard, party hard!"

Spencer laughed when Bianca dragged her inside the house and into the middle of the dancing crowd. The fear of her teacher would find out she was copying Melissa's old paper disappeared from her mind as she danced to the music. Bianca was right. After all that happened with Alison, Melissa, Wren, _and_ A, she totally deserved this.

* * *

Bianca had to admit that it was a good thing they decided to keep planning for Alison's memorial as it had helped taking her mind off of Jason for few days. Since someone followed them again when they went to the shed in the morning after Kahn's party, the girls decided that it would be better to build her memorial in public's eyes instead. No more secrets, no more hiding. If someone who killed Alison was still around, it was better to have the memorial shoved into their face everyday. Which was why now they were buried under paperworks, meetings, and preparations so they could have the unveiling ceremony before winter came.

Thankfully, everyone they met was very cooperating and even complimenting them for being the best friend anyone could ever hope. The city council even agreed to let them build the memorial around the new bench they were going to put in the park. They would dedicate the new bench to Alison instead of just placing it in the park. The PTA was very nice to help them listing every thing they needed to do make the memorial ceremony. Aria had her mother helped to find someone who could make something for a remembrance of their time together with Alison. With their help, Bianca and the girls managed to move the ceremony two weeks ahead of the schedule.

"So no more Wren?" Bianca asked as they walked to meet with the others before they went to the park. Spencer picked her up earlier from the gym because she was too tired to walk that far or drive to the park. Last time she drove herself back from the gym, her foot slipped away from the pedal because she was too exhausted.

Spencer looped her hand around Bianca's arm and confirmed with a sigh, "no more Wren." She glanced to see the dubious look on her friend's face and exclaimed, "really! It's all done and gone!"

"Mm hmm," Bianca took a sip on her tea, giving her friend a pointed look, "that's what you said before you came up to Phily and meet him by yourself, leaving me behind in the school alone when you told me to wait for you so we could go to my house together." She grinned when Spencer hit her shoulder playfully. "Well even though his accent is really to die for, I'm so glad you didn't take Melissa's second hand. That's all I'm asking for."

"Finally!" Hanna exclaimed when they saw Bianca and Spencer walking towards them. She glanced pointedly at the coffee cup Bianca was holding. "Did you just stop by the Brew and buy yourself a coffee but nothing for us, B?"

Bianca grinned, turning her body slightly so Hanna couldn't steal her tumbler, "nope. It's a tea, not a coffee. And I just got back from the gym, okay? I need my morning dose of tea."

"Oh yeah, how's that diet going on?" Aria asked. fully aware how Bianca had constantly complained to them every day on how vigorous and evil her personal trainer was since she started the program. She grinned when Bianca only rolled her eyes at her. "Okay, so the city's going to put a new bench here," she said, leading them towards the area where their memorial would be placed. "We'll be planting the flowerbeds and I already gave the fountain design so my mother's artist could commission them asap. Oh, there's also going to be a pathway of art tiles."

"Art tiles?"

"Yeah, it can be messages or pictures, memories of Alison," Emily answered.

Hanna rolled her eyes. "Oh, like a nice tombstone," she said sarcastically.

"Hanna!"

Even Bianca looked affronted at how surly Hanna sounded just now, which was rare since she tended not to show too much emotions when they were talking about Alison.

"What?" she asked back, defensively, believing she didn't say anything wrong.

Emily sighed as she looked around the spot where they would build the memorial for Alison, trying to envision what it would look like after they finished. "We should each do a tile," she said quietly. A final message to Alison before they closed that chapter with her.

"You know, I've had Alison's bracelet since the day we found it in the woods," Hanna suddenly spoke out, taking out the bracelet from her pocket. "And I so do not want the responsibility anymore," she said giving each of them pointed look but neither of them wanted to take it from her. It was too spooky to hold something that they knew Alison was constantly wearing it when she was alive. Especially with the way the found it few days ago. "Seriously, somebody take this," she insisted, staring at her friends exasperatedly.

It was Spencer who then grabbed the bracelet from Hanna's hand while rolling her eyes at her friends' antics. "Look at you all, a bunch of babies! And I'm so disappointed in you, B."

"Hey!" Bianca protested, "you know I always lose things. It's better if I don't get to hold something important like that. Remember the concert fiasco two years ago?"

Everyone winched remembering that day. They were going to watch Katy Perry concert in Philadelphia with Jason, Ian, and Melissa as their chaperons. Somehow they decided that Bianca should hold the tickets since they used her credit card to buy them, despite her protest. Long story short, when they were in line to get into the concert building, Bianca found out that she brought the wrong bag and the tickets were still in Rosewood. Had it not been for help from her mother's connection, she was sure everyone (named Melissa and Alison) would be furious at her. From that on, no one, not even Jason, would trust her with something important unless there were no other choices.

"Anyway," Spencer spoke up again, gripping the bracelet, "there is nothing that A can say or do to get us into trouble without getting into trouble herself."

"Are you sure it's a she?"

Spencer sighed exasperatedly at Hanna and scowled, "him, her, doesn't make any difference." She suddenly sat down on the bench and took out her laptop, making the others stared at her in confusion as her face looked determined when she began typing. "I'm gonna block all messages from people that I don't know. IMs, texts, emails, everything. Screw A." Her lips lit up in a victory smile when she saw her setting change had been set. "There," she finally said, glancing up to her friends, "who's next?"

Bianca watched as each of her friends gradually followed Spencer's action after a moment of hesitation. Her hand clenched around her phone inside her bags as she thought over the consequences. It was indeed annoying to have A texted them randomly and scared the hell out of them, by exposing their secret or showed that she knew what they were doing. Her old phone had already become the first victim of her anger to A and there was no guarantee there wouldn't be any next. But... Bianca glanced hesitantly at Aria who now called Hanna to do it next. Would it really be that easy to get rid of A just by blocking her texts?

"...B? Bianca!" Spencer raised her voice until she saw the girl focused on her. "Stop daydreaming and block yours too," she ordered.

Bianca bit her lips before releasing her grip on her phone and shook her head, "nah. I already did that."

"What? When?"

"When I accidentally threw my phone to the wall out of anger."

Spencer frowned hearing her answer. "Why didn't you tell me?" she asked, staring at her closest friend accusingly.

"We've had more pressing matter to deal, remember?" she countered back.

Hanna sighed happily as she was changing her setting. "I wish we had a drum roll for this. Alright, here goes," she said as a new pop up window appeared, telling her that her new setting had been set, and glanced up happily. "We are officially A-proofed," she then declared, closing down the laptop.

"Listen," Spencer said, completely satisfied, "all those messages zipping through the air all around us."

"Yep, and none of them from A."

Bianca snorted, amused to see how relaxed her friends' face right now. "Wow, you all really look like we just won a lottery or accomplished something amazing," she said, grinning as she avoided a swat from Spencer. "Is there anything else we haven't covered yet? Spencer and I will handle the meeting with PTA tomorrow and Emily, you and Hanna can handle ordering the tiles right? Aria already contacted the artist. And we're going to meet again at Spencer's in two days. Anything else I forget?"

Emily nodded. "Don't worry about the tiles. I'll coordinate everyone who wanted to participate and all as well. I think all that's left to do is organizing the program and waiting for confirmation from the speakers, which we can only do after the meeting tomorrow. Oh, have we contacted Alison's family yet to see if they have a request or something?" she asked but more focused on Bianca, remembering that night when Jason waited in front of the Grille to talk to Bianca.

But it wasn't Bianca who answered her question first. "Yep, I already contact Jason and he said he will get back to me after talking with his parents," Spencer answered nonchalantly, putting back her laptop from Hanna's lap into her bag. "I should be hearing from him sometime today."

Bianca stared at Spencer in shock hearing her answer, not realizing the The travel tumbler slipped away from her hand and into the ground, splattering its content to the soil. No, she must have heard it wrong. Spencer wouldn't contact Jason like that without telling her first, not when she knew how much Bianca agonized over the night of the funeral service and how she was struggling to summon her courage to contact Jason. She wouldn't do that to her. The others, they might just contact Jason without making sure with her first, because they had no idea how serious she was with Jason. She might expect _this_ accident from them, but not from her best friend. "_You_ called Jason?" her voice was barely heard as she fought hard for her tears from coming out._  
_

"Yeah," Spencer said while still busy with her bag, completely oblivious to how Bianca's expression had drastically changed and how the other girls were starting to glance between those two warily, "I figured it's better if we know if they give us their opinion about our current plan before we're meeting with the PTA. That way we don't have to go back and forth with them."

Something snapped inside of her as Bianca raised her voice, glaring at her best friend, "you called _Jason_?!"

Hearing the change in her tone made Spencer finally look up. She startled seeing the hurt expression in Bianca's face and was about to ask her when she realized what she had just revealed to her. "Sorry," she weakly said, biting her lips and winching when she replayed her sentence earlier in her mind. That did come out worse than she thought. "I─ I didn't mean to have you found out like this."

"Oh lucky me! So I _am _going to find out eventually," Bianca sneered before scoffing, "and when is that, Spence? When he decided to come here? Are you even going to tell me that if he will? Or do you just let me find it out myself?"

"No! I really am going to tell you tomorrow after PTA meeting. I swear! I just need you to focus on the meeting first," she said exasperatedly, trying to appease her anger. This was not the time and place for Bianca to snap out like this.

"Seriously!? That's your excuse for hiding it from me?" Bianca stared at her friend, disbelief, as her voice rose to high pitched tone. "You knew how desperate I wanted to contact him, Spence! And you just called him like that? Without even asking me first?"

"Oh please!" Spencer stood up, starting to look annoyed being screamed at, and even ignored Hanna's insistent tug to distract her. This wasn't completely her fault. "I know if I waited for you, everything will be over before you even picked up the phone since you're too coward!"

Before Bianca had a chance to react, Aria immediately scolded their friend, "Spencer!" In front of her, Emily was already moved to Bianca's side, ready to hold her back if she decided to use physical instead, while Hanna was standing between Spencer and Bianca, ready to help either of them. It was normal to see Bianca losing her temper easily like this─ they had numbers of memories where Bianca would get violent when someone irritated the hell out of her, especially when it concerned either Jason or her family or sometimes the girls. Just like what almost happened when they were questioned by Wilden in the principal's office. But what Aria and the other girls didn't expect was Spencer to also lose her composure easily like this.

And Emily was silently glad that she was beside Bianca because she looked she was ready to maul Spencer on the spot. "You're my best friend, Spence!" she shouted, her breathing was getting more labored every second, "you supposed to help me with Jason!"

"Oh my God, will you stop overreacting, Bianca?" Spencer snapped. It was cute at first watching Bianca getting nervous on perfecting how to talk to Jason when she called him, but if it ended up with her getting blamed for something that Bianca was too scared to do, it started to get irritating. "It's just _one_ phone call, B, and it's for the memorial. Why are you acting like I'm planning to steal him from you? If you really miss Jason, then stop wasting your time trying to find excuses and just call him already! What's your prob─"

"Because he didn't call me back!"

Their eyes widened and their mouths gaped, not expecting that answer bursting out from Bianca's mouth. They watched still in shock as the furious expression gradually diminished from her face and replaced by anguish look, before her hand covered upper half of her face. Emily startled and almost not quick enough to react when Bianca was about to slide down to the ground. She quickly rested her hand over Bianca's shoulder, grasping it tight, so the other girl could lean on her for support. "I already called him few days ago, asking if he wants to meet again," she whispered shakily, her eyes clenched shut, "I thought he was too busy or─ or something, but..."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Spencer asked back in whisper, feeling guilty for getting riled up earlier now that she knew what was really going on. "If I knew that, I could..."

"Could what? Ask him outright? And then what?" Bianca scoffed, choking slightly in her tears, "this is like last year all over again, Spence. The only difference is that I knew he was deliberately avoiding me now. He didn't want me anymore."

Spencer opened her mouth ready to tell Bianca that she shouldn't read too much into the situation, to convince her that she just need to wait patiently. She would meet Jason in the memorial after all, and all she needed was to calm down and talk to him then. Because Spencer was sure it was just a simple miscommunication. But Spencer then realized saying those things only made Bianca even more upset right now. So unable to contain her guilt, Spencer stepped forward and ready to wrap her arms around her friend, only to have Bianca shrugged hers and Emily's hand away from her. That rejection felt stung on her hand as Spencer stared at her friend, stunned, "B..."

What happened next was not what she or the others anticipated when Bianca suddenly took off without warning. By the time they managed to move their feet and run after her friend, Bianca was already far away from them.

"Bianca!"

"B, wait!"

* * *

_O la la Jason, what were you thinking? :O What do you think Bianca would do when Jason finally appeared and talked to her again? _

_Thanks for the reviews, guys! Seriously, you're just the best :) I really hope you enjoy this chapter. __Don't forget, keep them coming in and I'll keep the chapter coming out ;) Till next time._


	4. Not Everything Is What It Seems

**_Not Everything Is What It Seems_**

How she wished she could just disappear from this world right now. She really felt foolish for wasting the whole last year pinning after Jason, worrying if something happened to him like it did to Alison and she wouldn't know about it because she had no idea where he moved to. Crying over Spencer's shoulder countless time whenever she missed him too much or if she found something of his in her room. Refusing to have a date, even for fun, because it felt like she was cheating on him. Feeling restless for days while waiting for him to call back after the funeral. All those things she did sounded ridiculous now that her eyes were wide opened and she could finally see what was really happening.

What she had feared for this past year was actually true. Jason didn't want to have any relationship with her anymore. That was why he didn't bother telling her he moved away from Rosewood and returned her calls afterwards. Maybe that was also why he was trying to talk to her about that night after funeral, to tell her that she should forget about him and date someone else. That everything happened between them, no matter how special they were, belonged to the past now. He already moved on and he expected her to do the same. After all, why wouldn't he call her back but talk to Spencer if he still liked her? What reason could possibly excuse him for avoiding her when all this time, he was in touch with Spencer?

Perhaps when he had undergone drastic change over the year, he not only discarded his old appearance style and habit, but also her. Now that he didn't sport bloodshot eyes and dark circles under his eyes with smell of pots on his breath and stopped acting like he was still in high school anymore, maybe he started to think being in a relationship with a sixteen years old actually was not that appealing. And that really hurt because Bianca thought she meant more than just another name on the list of his girlfriends to him. That their feeling for each other would stay strong regardless of what happened. Her heart clenched painfully thinking that there might already be another girl on his arm right now, one that was more age appropriate than her. She could see in her mind─ that woman was with him when the police called about Alison. That woman would have her arm around him, trying to comfort him, when he found out that his only sister was actually dead, her body buried behind their old house's backyard.

The thought of Jason and the unknown woman made her angry even more and Bianca increased her pace. She didn't pay attention to her surrounding, not caring if she bumped into someone. Or what her friends must be thinking of her now that she blew up on them. Bianca was too wrapped around her thought that she didn't realize she ran through a red light, oblivious to the warning shout from other people. Until a repeated loud honks startled her out of her mind.

Bianca could only stare, wide eyed, when a car was speeding dangerously close towards her. She found herself unable to move, her legs seemed to freeze on that very spot, as her impending fate Its tires made a screeching noise as the car skidded to the left and stopped few centimeters away from her spot. Her legs went limp from shock and she dropped to the ground with her heart beating hard as she realized what almost happened to her. Before her brain could start processing, the front door on the driver side flung open and someone stormed out of it.

"What the hell, Lexington?!"

She looked up to see Noel Kahn glowering down at her.

"Are you trying to kill yourself?!"

Bianca opened her mouth, trying to reply him, but there was no sound coming out of her throat.

Noel glanced to see that they were holding off the traffic and people started to gather to see what was happening. Then he looked at the girl who was still shaking badly and bent down to help her stand up. He inspected her over to see if she needed to go to hospital but he found no injury on her. She was probably just still in shock. "Come on," he mumbled, leading her towards the passenger door, "I'll take you home." How surprised he was when she frantically shook her head. "Okay, fine. Let's just get in the car." He helped her sat inside the car and put on the seat belt over her.

Before someone called the police and they decided to hold them for questioning, he quickly drove his car away from the site. Judging from how wrecked she looked like right now, Noel didn't think Bianca would be grateful to him if she was taken to the station. "So where do you want to go?" he asked when they were already few blocks away from the main street. Noel purposefully steered his car into the opposite direction from her house since she looked like she didn't want to come home yet. When she didn't give him any response, he glanced at her and reached out to touch her shoulder lightly. Bianca immediately snapped her head towards him. "Where do you want me to drop you off?" he repeated the question.

Bianca lowered her head down, her hands fiddled on the hem of her skirt, as if she was debating where she should go.

"Bianca?" Noel asked again, his tone softer than before.

"Can I still cut down the tree?"

He frowned at first, didn't understand what she was talking about, until the memory of them talking in the party night came back to him. "Yeah," he said in a heartbeat. His parents wouldn't even realize it was missing anyway. Even if they did, he could just say someone got a dare to chop down that tree. "Wanna do it now?"

Bianca clenched her grip on her bag and whispered, "...please."

She didn't have to check the clock to know that Noel sped off all the way towards his house. At least this time no one was stupid enough not to check traffic lights before crossing. Nor was there any police car patrolling in the streets to stop him for speeding. She closed her eyes and rested her head against the window and remained like that on the whole journey to his house. Noel reached over to touch her shoulder and grasp it lightly when they already arrived at his garage. Bianca took a deep breath before coming out of his car and followed him towards the shed. She waited in the doorway as Noel rummaged through tools clustered inside until he found an ax. He grinned at her while playing with the tool on his hand, "ready?"

Bianca stared at the ax dubiously. "Do you think I can hold it?"

He peered down at the ax, feeling its weight, "should be." His eyes swept around the shed again. He didn't see anything that was lighter than this to cut down the tree. That chain saw seemed too heavy for her hand. "Don't worry, Lexington. I'll help you out if you can't," he said, his lips curled up in a slight smirk.

Bianca only shrugged back, deciding to trust his judgement since she had no idea about tree cutting anyway. All she wanted was to cut down that carving and burn it away so she wouldn't be able to see it anymore. And she didn't care how to do it as long as she got it done now. Noel led her back towards the forest on the side of his house, to the very same spot they were talking that night of the party. Her lips pursed tightly and frown warmed its way to her face when that carving came into her sight. Before Noel could even react, she grabbed the ax and with the strength she had no idea she possessed, Bianca raised that heavy tool and stroke exactly at the middle of the carving, letting out all the bottled emotion she had kept inside.

_Thwack!_

The grief and anxiety she constantly had when Alison went missing, fearing something similar could happen to her.

_Thwack!_

The constricting pain she always felt in her heart whenever she was reminded of Jason.

_Thwack!_

The anger towards Jason for talking to _Spencer_, but didn't bother to call her back.

_Thwack!  
_

The frustration that appeared whenever A sent her a text and she still had no idea who A was.

_Thwack!_

_Thwack!_

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Noel quickly stopped her swing midway when he noticed her breathing had become too erratic and she started swinging it wildly. She could hurt herself and he didn't want to be taken responsible for that. He gently pried her fingers from the ax, relieved when she didn't put up a fight like he feared, and put it away from her reach. "I think you need to take a break," he said, watching as her fingers trembled before she clenched them. Then her phone rang again, just like it had been since he took her inside his car, and he noticed how Bianca pointedly ignored it since then. He glanced at her bag briefly before glancing at her, "do you want me to get that?"

Bianca shook her head, still looking down to the ground. She knew who was calling her and right now there was no will left in her to face them.

"Okay..." Noel trailed off, trying to tune out that constant ringing. Hopefully her phone would run out of batteries soon. He glanced at the carving, the words were barely recognizable now. "Well, I think that should do the job," he said, impressed that she managed to inflict enough damage with that kind of arm. "Or do you still want to cut it down completely?"

Bianca finally lifted her head to see the result. He was right. Had she not known what it was carved before, she wouldn't be able to read it now. She knew that. She could _see _that. Yet this excruciating knot in her chest still hadn't vanished. Instead it was getting so worse than before that Bianca could hardly breath right now. And Noel seemed to notice it because he quickly bent down so he was on her eye level, with panic filled his eyes. He gripped her shoulder tight when he saw how she was heaving harder by second. "Hey, hey, hey. Breath, Bianca, breath," he tried to say it repeatedly with calm voice. One of his hand stroke her back in circular pattern until he could hear her breathing evened out.

Then her eyes shifted towards him for a split second before pressing her lips against his. Bianca raised her hands to encircle his neck and pulled him closer to her, deepening the kiss. Slowly she could feel his lips started to kiss her back and his hand on her back trailed down to her waist, trapping her in his arms. But barely after responding back, Noel pulled away from their kisses. "We really shouldn't do this," he said huskily, resting his forehead against hers, as he took few deep breaths to calm his now erratic heartbeat.

As if she didn't hear his comment, Bianca pressed herself more towards him, molding their bodies together, as she captured his lips again. But once again, Noel quickly pushed his head away from her. "Bianca," he said, more firmly. "I mean it. Stop."

Bianca slightly pulled herself back, frowning at him, as though she heard him clearly just now. "Seriously?" she challenged back, "I threw myself at you _twice_, Kahn. The last time I did that to a boy, he became my boyfriend. So what's your deal? Do you have a girlfriend or something?"

"Because we're standing in front of a tree you just defaced that you and your _ex_ carved it a year ago, which I assume stands for Bianca Dilaurentis," he said pointedly and the way she winched immediately confirmed his suspicions. "And you wonder why I don't want to make out with you here?"

She rolled her eyes, "fine. Then let's go to your room and make out there." When he was still giving her the look, Bianca groaned exasperatedly, "what now?" His reaction only made her annoyed more. She was really not in the mood for another quarrel right now.

"Just..." Noel sighed, "not now, okay."

"You're the playboy between the two of us and you're acting more like a girl than me," she said, still with a scowl.

"Well maybe I changed girls because they're not who I actually want," he countered, causing her eyes to slightly widened for fraction of seconds. This was definitely not how he pictured how he would ask her out since a year ago. Definitely not in front of that carving. "I'm not taking a chance to mess this up, okay?" he said, lifting his hand to touch her cheek lightly. As much as he really wanted to kiss her senselessly and bring her up to his bedroom right now, he knew how easy he could mess this up, especially with her current state. With other girls he might be okay being the rebound guy, but he knew too well what would happen to the rebound after that. "If there's actually a chance between us, I'm not going to burn it by sleeping with you right now. Because you'll regret it later."

Bianca blinked, not really expecting that kind of answer. But as his words started to sink into her mind, the realization of what she was trying to do just now started to surface as well. She bit her lips, before leaning up towards him. Only this time her lips landed on his cheek instead. "Okay," she said softly, sighing as she closed her eyes. He was right. She definitely would regret it after they did it. "I'm sorry," she sighed, feeling slightly guilty, "I didn't mean to─"

"─I know," he cut her but then his lips curled up in a smirk. "I mean, I get it why you want to kiss me and all. Girls been telling it to me all the─ Ow!" He massaged his shoulder when she hit him quite hard. There was a rumor that she was going to the gym every day lately but he never believed it until now. That little hand of hers really did pack quite a punch. No wonder she could handle the ax earlier. "So..."

She raised her eyebrow at his sudden mischievous expression, "so?"

"I guess this means I have to pick you up for the dance?"

A quirk of smile on her face afterwards told Noel what he wanted to know.

* * *

Spencer, Aria, and Hanna waited almost impatiently near Bianca's locker. Ever since her little outburst in the park yesterday, they couldn't reach her. She did not pick up her phone nor was she in her house. They almost camped out in front of her house and until late evening, the light inside the house hadn't been turned up even once. Spencer even thought of calling the police, afraid that Bianca suffered the same thing as Alison's, but the others quickly shot down that idea. They were already under spotlight from Alison's disappearance. Adding Bianca's would make their life more complicated, especially if it turned out Bianca was not actually missing. They also made her promised not to contact Jason yet, at least until the problem with Bianca was solved, even though she hardly think it would matter to Bianca anymore.

Emily joined them not long afterwards, sporting a new scarf which she looked uncomfortable on answering Hanna's questioned when the girl noticed it. But still there was no sign of Bianca yet. Spencer kept glancing at her watch every five minutes or so, knowing that her best friend should have been in the school already by now. Her hour in the gym should already ended an hour ago and it was more than enough for Bianca to take a quick shower and get ready for school. She impatiently tapped her foot repeatedly─ her fingers inched to grab the phone on her bag and reported her missing to the police.

Even Mr. Sheldrake, her Russian history teacher, who usually came to school nearing the first period, already arrived and managed to locate her. Spencer was briefly relieved when he didn't come to accuse her of plagiarism but it immediately disappeared when he informed her that he entered her essay to a contest called the Golden Orchid. Her face became pale when she realized it was possible that Melissa would read and recognize it as hers. When Mr. Sheldrake left to his own office, Spencer turned around and ready to confess everything to Bianca, only to remember that split second that she was not there. She was so used on spilling her worries and secrets to Bianca ever since Alison went missing. So Spencer could only gulped back her secret, barely listening to her friends' praises and confidence that she would win the contest for sure.

They even managed to talk about Hanna's dad and his business to suddenly appear in the town. She became defensive when they mentioned about the accident and how it was a possible reason why he unexpectedly came to town. But judging from her faltered expression afterwards, Hanna didn't look entirely convinced of herself and had the same suspicion.

It wasn't until ten minutes into the bell of first period rang that they finally seen Bianca. They almost gave up when she strolled into the hallway, and to their shock, with Noel beside her. The girls exchanged startled and confused look briefly while waiting in anticipation as Bianca was getting closer to them. She passed them as if she didn't notice them there, not bothering to stop by her locker, and walked straight towards where her first class was.

"OK, since when is she that close with Noel?" Hanna was the first one who broke the silence. Aria and Emily shrugged their shoulders. Neither of them, especially Aria, ever saw Bianca with Noel side from that party. So they turned to Spencer. If there was any of them who knew almost everything about Bianca for the past year, it had to be Spencer since they both were literally attached to hip.

Spencer was still staring at the direction where Bianca had disappeared to, flabbergasted. She knew every minute to minute what Bianca had been up to since last summer but she had never heard her mentioning Noel at all before, unless it was about party. "I don't know..." It hurt her knowing that Bianca had kept a secret from her. She thought they agreed to tell each other everything, no more secret. Bianca knew all about her, more than her family and Alison combined, and she knew all the same about Bianca.

_But you didn't tell her about calling Jason, about what the other half of your conversation was, _the little corner of her mind suddenly whispered, reminding her who first caused this rift to happen. Bianca's secret about Noel was nothing compared to hers. She wouldn't be affected if Bianca was actually dating Noel behind her back, but not the other way around with her secret. Even if she kept using excuse that she would tell her eventually, when the timing was right, it didn't change the fact how upset Bianca was at her right now. "I'll try to talk to her in class. We got French together now and it's a conversation class today," she said when the first period bell rang, "B _has_ to talk to me."

When she arrived in their French class, how shocked she was to see Bianca sat next to Mona instead and the other seats around her were already occupied. Spencer glanced at her friend who seemed to pointedly avoid turning her eyes to the door where she was standing right now. Someone bumped into her from behind and she quickly took the nearest available seat to Bianca when she saw their teacher was just walking inside the class, so she could keep an eye on her. After the teacher gave the topic for them to discuss and later practice in front of the class, Spencer turned around only to see Bianca was already discussing it with Mona. Her shoulder sagged down in defeat, knowing she had no chance to talk to Bianca in this class.

The same thing kept happening on the rest of the day. Bianca was really quick on leaving the class, almost at the same time with their teacher. And when she already slipped into the crowd in the hallway, Noel was by her side immediately. They knew she had her phone on since they caught her texting few times, but when either of them texted her, it all went unanswered. The lunch was also no exception. Noel had his friends surrounding Bianca and him as they walked into the cafeteria, never leaving her alone unattended even for once.

It was like he acted as her personal guard dog so that they couldn't get to her at all. He also seemed to know what happened between Bianca and the girls in the park since he threw them knowing smirks every now and then, especially when he caught them stealing glances at his table. Spencer pursed her lips as she watched Noel put his hand around Bianca's shoulder and steered her out of the school building into the parking lot. Her eyes narrowed when she saw Bianca got into Noel's car and they sped off away. How was she supposed to make everything back to before with Bianca if that boy kept warding her off and gave her no chance at all?

Oh cursed Jason for making her promised not to tell Bianca!

* * *

"Just when I already get used having you in my bed, you suddenly want to come home."

Bianca snorted at the suggestive remark he made, "funny. I only remember spending most of my time in your guest room."

"Well," Noel shrugged his shoulder, "a guy could dream and fantasize."

"Hm, if only you just cave in few days ago and you don't have to fantasize it all," she countered back, sliding her finger from his cheek down to his neck with a sly smile on her face. Regardless, she had to admit how surprised she was to know that Noel could be a real gentleman if he wanted to. Not once during her stay at his house these two days, did he ever make a move on her. He would just sit there, listening to her rant about her little outburst in the park. She didn't have to convince him to help her avoiding the girls in the school for the past two days.

"Ah, the price of being a gentleman." Noel grinned when she playfully hit him. He then followed her inside to her foyer and looked around, realizing this was the first time he ever stepped inside her house this far. Despite being a house of one occupants most of the time, it actually looked quite homey. "Nice pics," he said, nodding towards the staircase wall which was covered mostly of her pictures. To which Bianca slightly blushed at his comment, causing his eyebrow to raise. He never pegged her as an easily blushed girl before. But then again he didn't really hang with her that much before. "So, where should I take this bag to?" he asked, smirking.

Her lips curled up in a bemused smile as she took her bag from him. "Nice try, Kahn. You're not going anywhere near my room."

"I showed you mine!" he protested.

Bianca heaved a sigh and rolled her eyes. "See you tomorrow, Noel," she said, starting to push him towards the door.

"Oh come on! I don't even get to see anything else?"

"No!" she said, shaking her head firmly, "my parents are going to be here soon and I'm not going to share them with you. Not now." She gave him a pointed look until he finally gave up and took few steps backwards. "Thanks. I'll text you later," Bianca said, leaning forward to kiss his cheek, "bye, Noel," and closed the door before he could say anything.

Bianca suddenly turned her head sharp towards the hallway and then she could hear distant sound of heels clicking scurrying away. As if someone was spying on her and Noel. Her eyes narrowed for a moment before walking upstairs towards her bedroom. When she entered her room and dropped her overnight back near her bed, she looked around to check if something was misplaced or even missing. She then went over to her night stand to grab that picture of hers and Jason. Her lips pursed tight as she stalked towards the bin on the corner of her room and hurled the frame there. The frame glass immediately cracked at the collision, right in between her face and Jason's. She scowled at the irony of its literal portrayal of her real life.

As if something ignited inside her, Bianca strode towards her closet and threw open the door. Her eyes roamed through each of the clothes she had before grabbing some of the dresses and threw it outside her closet. Next was the bikinis, followed by one third of the shirts she had and few skirts and shorts. The last one to come out of her closet was few pairs of shoes. When she was finished, Bianca then moved towards the drawers in the middle of the closet room and opened the one that had all of her jewelry collections. She snatched half of what was stored in the last drawer and threw it towards the heap of clothes earlier. By the time she was finished, all that was left on her closet was clothes she bought after last summer.

She sighed, closing her eyes, and sat down in front of her vanity table. That sudden urge to throw away half of her clothes that reminded her of Jason and what had happened for the fast few days finally took its toll on her. She rested her elbow on the table with her head leaning on that hand. If only she could throw Jason out of her mind as easy as throwing those clothes away from her closet.

"Darling, we're home!"

Bianca shot up from the chair, hearing her mother's voice, and quickly ran down the stairs. A huge grin immediately plastered on her face when she saw her parents standing in the foyer with five suitcases around them. Jason was momentarily locked in the deepest part of her mind as she flung herself into her mother's arm and embraced her really tight. "I miss you!" she said, glancing up at her parents. And she really did. As much as she loved the freedom of having the house by herself, without her parents breathing down her neck, it was rather lonely at night.

Which was why she quickly agreed when Noel jokingly offered his guest room if she ever needed to hide. She remembered how stunned he was when she said she'll take the offer right away.

Her mother laughed before swaying them slightly, "oh don't be so over dramatic. We've been gone for only a week but we miss you too, darling." She moved backwards slightly to inspect her only daughter. "Oh look at you. The diet program is showing some effect now. But your cheeks are still chubby," she said, slightly frowned, as she pinched her cheek, "Bianca, please tell me you strictly ate what the dietitian told you to." When Bianca only scowled at her, she sighed, "well at least tell me your dress size drop to six."

Bianca rolled her eyes. Of course her mother would jump into the diet business at first chance. That was her first question whenever she checked on Bianca when they were in Paris. She even sent her emails about all kind of diets her models used currently and how wonderful the result was. "I think so, maybe. I have no idea. Can we talk about something else, please?" she pleaded, mostly towards her father who only watched them in amusement. "Anything interesting in Paris?"

"A lot, but I think you will be scarred for life if I told you every detail of it," her father answered with a mischievous glint on his eyes.

She scrunched up her nose when her parents snickered at each other, realizing what he was referring to. "Ew dad, gross! Gosh, I didn't mean that kind of story!" she exclaimed, glaring at her father who just laughed and bent down to kiss her temple. She did _not _need that kind of images to haunt her love life. It was suck enough already after this whole shebang with Jason, knowing how... _active_ her parents were was definitely not going to make her feel better. She shuddered, shaking that horrible image from entering her mind.

"Oh, darling," her mother suddenly said as they walked into the living room, clasping her hand, too gleefully for Bianca's taste that she glanced at her warily. "Guess what we pick on the way home from Paris for you?"

"I... don't know," she glanced at her father. "Books? paintings?" she asked hopefully.

"Don't be silly!" Her mother motioned someone in the hallway. Bianca glanced to see her mother's personal assistant, Heidi, walked into the room... pushing clothes rack with _at least_ ten dresses there. To Bianca's shock, she was also followed by their house keeper, Sylvia, who brought another six garments bag inside. "Your dresses for homecoming dance are all done!" Her mother squealed happily, oblivious to the horror-stricken expression on her face. "I push my people in New York to get it done in time with my layover from Paris."

Bianca could only gape watching Sylvia and Heidi took out the dresses from the garment bags and made sure they were all presentable before hanging them in the rack. Her mother looked very excited as she grabbed Bianca's hand and pulled her towards the rack. "Oh, this should be fun. I haven't gone shopping with you for a very long time!"

"Um, mum... I have a dress already." She winched when her mother turned around at her in shock.

"What? Which one?" her mother demanded then turned to her assistant, "Heidi, did you send dresses here without telling me?"

"No, no, no. Heidi didn't send anything," Bianca quickly said before her mother decided to fire Heidi on the spot. "You made me two dresses for dad's faculty cocktail party, remember? I still haven't used the other one. And they're all lovely dresses," she added, "but maybe you could just put them in line for your next collection?"

Her mother sighed, "Bianca darling. That's for _cocktail_ party, not a homecoming dance. You can wear that dress for another party but these..." she motioned towards the rack, "these are all made just for you to look beautiful in your homecoming queen pictures."

"Mum, I'm not a candidate," Bianca interrupted her, "that kind of thing is not me. It's Hanna's or Mona's, probably Alison's too, but definitely not me. And the cocktail dress is already lovely."

Instead her mother looked more horrified than before hearing her explanation. "But I was a Homecoming Queen!" she exclaimed ghastly, "and a daughter of mine─"

"─will just be as beautiful as her mother even though she's not a Homecoming Queen," Bianca interrupted, hugging her mother sideways. She was about to suggest her mother gave the dresses to Hanna when she remembered she wasn't exactly on a speaking term with Hanna or the others. A sad smile appeared on her face knowing Hanna would have killed for these dresses. She always gushed about Bianca's mother's line all the time. And it would be perfect for her since she was practically unofficial Homecoming Queen.

Her mother quickly turned to her father who was busy with his cellphone, pointedly ignoring the conversation between his wife and daughter. "Richard! Say something to your daughter! She can't possibly wear that dress for the Homecoming!"

"The dress is just fine! Dad, say _that_ to Mum!"

Her father finally looked up from her phone and glanced between her mother and her then to the dresses before walking towards Bianca. He put a hand on her shoulder and gently turned her towards the rack. "Why don't you just humor your mother and try the dresses, hm darling? After all your mother spent days designing it for you and Heidi had gone all the trouble making sure all dresses are ready for today."

"...Fine," she then muttered and sighed to her mother, kissing her cheek. "Only for you, mother."

Her mother's expression brightened up immediately. "Wonderful! Alright darling, let's try... this one first!" she took out a dark green strapless dress from the rack. "Come on. We have tons of dresses to try."

Bianca shot an exasperated look at her father who just raised his thumbs up before taking the dress from her mother and walked towards the bathroom. She closed the door behind her and sighed at the dress. It wasn't that she didn't appreciate what her mother had been busy doing, possibly for the past month, but she was not interested on spending hours trying dresses. She planned to go to the homecoming because Hanna wanted them there when they announced the Homecoming Queen. And she planned not going after park incident when Noel convinced her otherwise. So no, she wasn't interested in trying dresses because she had no one to impress there.

"Darling?" her mother's voice was heard from the other side of the door as she knocked, "do you need help?"

"No, mum!" she quickly answered, "just give me a minute!" Bianca sighed as she zipped up the dress. "Here goes nothing," she mumbled, stepping out of the bathroom.

* * *

Bianca was in the middle of trying the dress number nine when her phone went off suddenly. She glanced at her phone in the table to see it was a text but she couldn't see clearly who the sender was. Afraid that it might be from A, Bianca quickly stepped off of the platform to check it before someone else checked it for her. A frown appeared on her face when she saw it was an SOS text from Spencer, quite surprised as well that Spencer still texted her. She thought after the whole ignoring her and the girls, Spencer wouldn't include her in the group text anymore.

As much as she wanted to just ignore the text, just like she did to the countless before, Bianca couldn't help but worry why Spencer suddenly texted SOS, in the middle of the night. She knew Spencer's family went to New York to cheer up Melissa so she was supposed to be alone right now. Was that why she sent this text? Because she was afraid of being alone so she texted everyone to come to her house? Yet Bianca couldn't shake the feeling that it wasn't just about being home alone. Spencer was no stranger of being left alone in the house, so there were only few things that could scare her off.

Or maybe it was just a trap for her. Maybe Spencer decided to take a leaf out of Alison's book and sent a SOS text to her just so she would be worried and came to the house, only to find nothing was wrong and the girls were waiting to talk to her. Just like Alison did when Bianca refused to talk to her after the night the girls blew up Toby's garage.

"Who is it, darling?" Her mother asked, seeing troubled look on her face.

"Nothing," she quickly said, putting down the phone, and returned to the platform. "I like this dress better, but maybe if you could loosen up the necklace..."

"It doesn't look like nothing," her mother remarked, ignoring her attempt to distract her.

Bianca sighed, "it's just... a text from Spencer. Probably trying to prank me."

"Spencer? Pranking you? That doesn't sound like her," her mother commented, walking over to the table to take Bianca's phone. She barely read the text when her daughter snatched the phone away from her. "SOS? That sounds serious," she said, concerned both with the text content and also the way her daughter acted, "do you want to come over to her house? Your father and I are fine if you leave us, darling."

"No." Bianca answered, "can we focus on the dress please? We still have, what, ten more dresses to go and I have to wake up early tomorrow."

"Bianca..."

"Do you think it's better if we have this in red instead? What do you think, Heidi?"

"Bianca."

"And maybe we should shorten the length, hm, around two inches?"

"Bianca!" This time her mother stood in front of her with a stern expression, blocking her from seeing her reflection on the mirror. Then her eyes softened after few moments as she approached her daughter, fixing the sash on her sides, "what happened?" she asked, "did you two have a fight?"

Bianca stiffened hearing her mother's answer, her eyes averted to the ground, and she mumbled, "kind of. Maybe."

"Want to tell me what happened?"

"...No."

"Bianca..."

"There is nothing to talk, mum!" she snapped, storming out of the living room up to her bedroom in the second floor. As she went inside her room, she angrily pulled down the zipper and stepped out of the dress before throwing it to the rest of the clothes she had just thrown out of the closet. Bianca sighed as she threw herself into the bed, closing her eyes. Remembering the shocked face from her mother's face, she let out a disgruntled groan, frustrated at herself on how easy she could lose her temper lately. In span of few days, she managed to hurt her best friend and her mother. She vaguely heard the sounds of heels clicking towards her and then her bed sunk more next to her.

Bianca opened her eyes slightly to see her mother staring back at her in concern. "I'm sorry," she muttered, "I didn't mean to snap at you."

Her mother sighed, "I'm not angry at you, darling. I'm just... concerned. You know you can talk _anything _to me and I won't ever judge, right?"

"I know that," she mumbled.

"Then care to tell me why you act like that earlier? And what on earth are those clothes doing in the floor?" Then she noticed something missing from her daughter's nightstand and immediately she could put together all of the puzzle's pieces from that. "Oh darling, does it have anything to do with Jason?"

And the way Bianca's head snapped at her immediately with her eyes widened confirmed her suspicion. She waited patiently as Bianca slumped her shoulder down and covered her eyes with her hand. "...He doesn't like me anymore."

"Did you talk to him?"

"No! And that's the problem. He─" Bianca struggled to keep even breathing, "I left a message in his voice mail a week ago but he never called me back. I─ I just found out that he's been talking to Spencer the whole time and..." She moved her hand away and stared at her mother with glistened eyes, "why did he do this to me, Mum? I didn't do anything wrong to him... He was the one who left me and─" Bianca stopped, choking on her tears. "I just don't get it. If he really wanted to have nothing to do with me, he can just say it to my face. I will understand it. But... this? I deserve better explanation than this. Did he really think I won't find out about him talking to Spencer?" she desperately asked, hoping her mother could shed some lights just like she always did before.

Her mother then gathered her in her arms, bending down to kiss her forehead, "I'm so sorry, darling. I didn't mean for it to happen like this."

She shook her head, leaning towards her mother, and sighed, "it's okay, mum. It's not your fault. I lashed at Spencer, at you, when I know the only person at fault here is just me. I should've been stronger. I should've known this would happen when Jason left without saying goodbye." But then she felt her mother stiffened and knew something was wrong. She looked up to see guilty expression on her mother's face─ the same expression she always had when she had to cancel on their mother-daughter day because of work. "Mum?" she asked, narrowing her eyes.

Her mother winched, "Jason didn't exactly... leave without goodbye to you."

Bianca sat up straight immediately, staring shocked at her mother, "Mum!"

"I'm sorry! I just... With everything that happened to you after Alison went missing, I thought it's better that you have someone that could be with you all the time and not few states over. I really don't think you can handle long distance relationship that time."

"You broke us up!?"

"I didn't mean to put it that way!" Her mother exclaimed, "I told Jason to give you time and being around with Alison's _brother_ won't make you move on from that terrible things. I never said he can't contact you at all!"

"But then what, it's not enough and you decided to intercept his calls too? His letters?" When she saw another flinch from her mother, Bianca's mouth dropped more open. "Mum!"

"Well what do you expect me to do, Bianca?" Her mother asked back, looking as upset as she was, "after that horrible thing, I just thought he won't be a good fit for you if he doesn't get his act straight. So I told him not to contact you unless he stopped using and change himself! He agreed and left after promising he would change," Her mother sighed. "I didn't expect he would disappear for a year and avoid you after that. I'm so sorry," she said, reaching out to touch her cheek.

Bianca moved away from her mother's hand, staring at her with disbelief. This wasn't happening. She had spent the whole year wondering and crying out why there was no news from Jason, when it was her _mother_ who caused this to happen. Her mother was there, comforting her, when she found out Jason left. She saw how devastated Bianca was after that day, how desperately she wanted Jason just for that day, and her mother just sat there, refusing to let her know what was actually happening. "Wait. Oh my God mum, did you tell him everything?" she asked with her face paled, realizing when the second time her mother talked to him was. "Did he know about _that _too?"

"Of course not!" Her mother defended, looking slightly affronted, "darling, we agreed to let that stays between the three of us."

"Yeah well, I can't exactly trust your words anymore, can I?"

Her mother flinched hearing it, "darling..."

Her text alert suddenly rang again for few times simultaneously. Wanting a slight distraction so she could wrap her mind around this, Bianca then checked her phone only to find the other girls sent texts, telling her to quickly come over to Spencer and that it was not a joke or desperate attempt to talk to her. Spencer. Dear God, she spent the whole three days being angry at Spencer for something too trivial compared to what her mother did. She accused Spencer for not trying to help her with Jason when it was her mother who broke them up.

"I─ I have to go. Spencer really needs me," she said, rather distracted. Snatching the nearest dress she could find in the pile, Bianca quickly dressed up and grabbed her purse.

Bianca glanced back to her mother who looked really remorseful, and was about to say something to her but she couldn't. There were no words that could express how she was feeling right now. Betrayed, angry, hurt were just a surface of deeper emotions that ran through her mind. Her mother was the only person she could talk to about everything, things that even Spencer didn't know, that Alison couldn't find out until her last day alive. But first she had to see what was happening in Spencer's house and apologize to her and the girls for avoiding them before she could talk properly to her mother about this. So she turned around and left her house without any words.

* * *

_Okay, so I really thought I could sneak in Jason into this chapter, giving you their long awaited reunion but the words count just keep coming up and there were too much scenes happening in one chapter. So I have to cut the old chapter into half. Sorry :( But at least this means you might get a quicker update for the next one since I already write almost half of it :D _

_As always, thanks for the reviews, everyone! I'm so glad to know my hours of writing really paid off :') __Don't forget to leave reviews on this one! Till next chapter :)_


	5. Mending the Bridges

_**Mending the Bridges**_

"Spencer?" Bianca called out when she arrived at the Hastings.

The house was completely dark from outside, aside from Spencer's room, and the door was unlocked. Frowning at the complete lack of senses her friend was, Bianca peeked inside the house to find it completely empty. She slowly opened the door as quietly as she could. Her frown deepened when she saw a broken flower pot weirdly arranged in the kitchen table and now creepily looked like a tombstone. "Spencer? Hanna?" she called out again, a bit louder this time, walking towards the staircase. "Emily? Aria? Guys?"

Bianca stiffened as she heard thundered steps coming down from the stairs and sighed a relief when she saw that it was Spencer. "Oh my God, you scared me," she said, "what happened? And who put that pot there?"

When Spencer heard Bianca's voice from downstairs, she thought she was imagining things. It wasn't until she heard her voice again, did she finally decide to check downstairs. She actually didn't expect Bianca to come here because of her texts. Alison once pulled an SOS text prank to Bianca about Jason after she refused to talk to any of them for days and because of that, Spencer understood when Bianca didn't respond immediately to her text. She probably thought it was just their way to make her talk to them again. So she wasn't really prepared to see her best friend who had been avoiding her for three days to be standing in the middle of the living room. "Um... come up," Spencer said, nodding her head towards upstairs, "I'll show you." She waited until Bianca came up to the staircase before leading her back towards her room.

The girls were already in the room when she got there, couldn't hide their surprise to see her there. Before Bianca could say anything─ either to apologize or something else─ the mirror caught her attention. Her eyes widened as she read the words written there, immediately feeling guiltier for not responding back right away and let her anger got the better of her. No wonder they didn't stop texting her. "Is that... lipstick?" she asked, approaching the mirror cautiously, and touched one of the letters. She smudged it slightly and inspected her finger. It was really a lipstick. The very same color Alison would usually wear, to be precise. Jungle Red. "Did you see anyone coming in or out?" she asked, turning back to Spencer.

Spencer shook her head, "no. I was out and Hanna pick me up. When we got back, we saw that creepy flower pot and I thought someone took Alison's bracelet. So we went upstairs and... there it is." She nodded towards the mirror before glancing back to her best friend who looked deep in thought, still couldn't believe that they were finally talking after three days of radio silence. "I didn't think you will show up..." she hesitantly said.

Bianca bit her lips as she fidgeted on her feet. During her drive here, she hadn't thought on how to apologize to the girls especially Spencer. Her mind was still to wrap around her mother's huge revelation and she struggled holding back her desire to call Jason immediately after that. But now she regretted that she didn't think what to say when she met the girls again because she was literally speechless at the moment. Should she just go down on her knees and beg for their forgiveness? For ignoring them, Spencer, for something that her own mother caused? Bianca glanced at her friends who seemed to also look unsure what to say. The awkward silence between them had become too unbearable by seconds that she had to say something. _Anything._

"I'm sorry!"

She and Spencer blurted it out at the same time. They stared each other with wide eyes for a moment before erupting in a laugh together. Bianca smiled, relieved that her best friend still wanted to forgive her. Guessed it was true what they said about forgiveness. It really did feel like a heavy rock had been lifted from her heart and she could breathe easier. "I'm sorry," she said again, hugging Spencer, "I shouldn't have snapped at you that day and completely avoided you after that."

Spencer sighed, shaking her head, "no, B, you really shouldn't apologize. I should've told you about Jason. Or better yet, forced you to call him in front of me so I could snap him too if he didn't pick it up. I would have mad at me too if it happens to me." She bit her lips, glancing towards their friends, before hesitantly asked, "best friends?"

"Of course." Bianca immediately said without skip a beat, smiling, "always, Spence."

"Aw, group hug!" Hanna quickly shouted, enveloping the two girls as she was joined by Emily and Aria few seconds later. For a moment A's threat was gone from their mind. They were just glad everything back to normal between them, ignoring the fact that A had a part on the play. Bianca sighed happily, closing her eyes, and relaxed as she enjoyed the feeling of having her friends encircling her. She was relieved that her outburst few days ago didn't cost her the best friends she could hope for. Especially after she knew what was really happening to Jason and her.

Spencer was the first one who broke their group hug. She turned her head towards Bianca, her eyes were full of determination, "I swear B, I _will_ set a nuke on Jason's ass next time I talked to him. He is not going to get away with this and─"

"No!" Bianca quickly cut, grabbing Spencer's shoulder tight, and narrowed her eyes at her. As much as she would love for her best friend to defend her, she couldn't do it to Jason. Few days ago, yes, she would have jumped into this chance right away. But after she knew what her mother did... It changed everything. She needed more time to prepare herself, especially with Jason coming to town soon. "Spencer, promise me you won't talk to him about me! _At all_!" she said, forcefully. "Promise me!"

"...okay, okay!" Spencer quickly said, confused at the sudden change from Bianca's tone. "I won't say anything to him," she cautiously watched if her friend would blow up again like that day in the park. But instead Bianca immediately looked very relaxed with her agreement and let go of her shoulders at once. That was weird but slightly relieved. With how Bianca reacted in the park, Spencer thought she would be ecstatic with the idea. "What happened?"

Bianca shook her head, not wanting to get them more tangled in Jason's situation. "Nothing," she said. When Spencer still narrowed her eyes at her as if trying to figure out her reaction, Bianca averted her eyes, getting uncomfortable under her stare, and glanced back to the mirror. "So what do you want to do with the mirror? Do you want to clean it up now?"

Her question brought back A to everyone's mind and they then felt more uncomfortable standing in the room where A was just in before they came. Hanna glanced between her friends and the mirror, fidgeting in her feet. "Can we leave? Like, downstairs maybe?" she asked. "We can clean it tomorrow, when it's daylight and not spooky like now." When the other girls agreed, they quickly scurried away from Spencer's room and went downstairs. Only then they realized that the broken pot was still there. They stared at the pot, unsure on what to do. Bianca was the one who pulled the bin closer to the kitchen counter and swept it down to the bin. Then she remembered about the unlocked door and immediately checked the other doors and windows, confusing the other girls.

"B, _what_ are you doing?" Spencer asked, watching her best friend prancing around her house. And here she thought she was already paranoid enough after Kahn's party.

"When I came here, the front door is unlocked," Bianca answered, checking the window latches over the sink before moving towards the back door. "I know you never forgot to lock the door, so..." she turned around when she was sure the back door was also locked. "I'm guessing A left just before I came here."

That bit of information didn't help calming down the other girls. Instead they looked more nervous than ever, especially Spencer, knowing how easily A slipped around them. "Guys, you'll stay over, right?" she asked, fearfully looked at each of her friends. There was no way she would be able to sleep tonight in her own house by herself after this. She then sighed in relief when her friends immediately nodded. As scary as it was, they knew it was better to be together at least for tonight.

Suddenly Aria's stomach grumbled loudly and she stared at them sheepishly when Bianca followed her suit and then their friends broke into laughter, releasing all the nervousness aside. Spencer shook her head in amusement and grabbed her home phone. "Anyone up for pizza?"

* * *

Instead of going back to her room for their sleepover, Spencer prepared the guest room downstairs for all of them to sleep in. Neither of them was brave enough to enter that room for the time being, not with that creepy message was still on the mirror, and even Bianca was reluctant at first to retrieve some clothes for them to change from Spencer's room. When she was in the room, Bianca glanced around trying to see if she could notice something else was amiss or any sign what else A was doing in Spencer's room. She didn't expect A to escalate her pranks and this fast just to get their attention after the others blocked her off. Well, it seemed A got what she wanted since she saw her friends reluctantly changed their block list earlier.

When she returned downstairs with a pile of clothes, her friends were already crowding over the pizza and talked about something else just to get their mind off of A. At least this time she was glad that Wilden didn't try to sabotage their pizza delivery again because it would upset them more. Although with how he swore last time, she had half expected to see him lurking around her house since then. But instead he didn't make a move at all nor did she hear anything about him. It was like he completely forgot the threat he delivered to her and it only made her more wary of him. She really couldn't put it past him not to catch her off guard.

"Here you go, you bunch scaredy-cats," she teased putting down the clothes. "I hope you still left me some slices, after how I risked my life for you all."

"Yeah, right. You went up there because you lost," Aria said, snickering.

Bianca scowled at her, "wow, I really feel the love, Aria." She sat down in between Spencer and Emily and grabbed two slices of pizza, not caring if it was supposed to be on the banned list from her dietitian. If this could be a way to get revenge on her mother after what she did, then she would gladly do it. She didn't care even if it might backfire on her body at all and might regret it later on. "Anything I missed lately?" she then asked, wondering what her friends had been up to when she avoided them.

"Never mind us, what have _we _missed?" Hanna quickly countered back, dismissing her question with a sly smile, "since when are you so cozy with Noel Kahn?"

"Yeah, B," Spencer added. "You never mentioned him to me at all before," she said with slight accusation tone.

Bianca rolled her eyes, "there's nothing happened between me and Noel. He's just helping me, that's all."

"With what? Sex Ed class?" Hanna asked, snickering.

"No," Bianca answered firmly, giving Hanna annoyed look, "he almost hit me with his car after I left you guys in the park so he helped me out with something in return."

Their eyes widened and they quickly fussed over her. They had no idea that had happened after she left. Spencer, especially, was feeling the guilt rose up inside her again. If only she kept her mouth shut, Bianca wouldn't get angry at her and she wouldn't leave and that almost accident thing wouldn't happen at all. "Oh my God B, are you alright?" she immediately asked, "did you get hurt or anything?"

"I'm fine, guys. No scratch or anything. Really," she stressed out when she saw her friends who still looked like they didn't believe her.

Her assurance still couldn't ease up the guilt inside Spencer. "But where were you after that? We went to your house and waited for you there but you didn't come back at all. Then when we saw you next day, you're suddenly all mushy, mushy with Noel."

Bianca winched. She didn't know that her friends were waiting for her in her house until night. But then again if she knew it that time, she would probably get angry to them more. "Well I stayed over at Noel's," she answered truthfully. Seeing the surprised look from her friends─ Hanna had this gleeful look instead, she grinned sheepishly, "so yeah. That's why I wasn't at home. But not for the reason you think, Hanna," she added, narrowing her eyes at Hanna who seemed to be ready to throw another innuendo at her again. "I wanted to cut down one of his tree," she said, decided to tell them the truth, since their look told her that they wouldn't stop until they knew the whole truth.

And the girls only looked more confused than before. That didn't make any sense at all to them.

"Why?"

"Jason and I carved something there," she mumbled. "It's just something silly. We both were really drunk at that time so we didn't really think it first. Noel told me on his last party that he would help out if I want to remove it away," she said, shrugging her shoulder, "that's why I went with him and stayed over there after that. He's... surprisingly sweet."

"So you did hook up with him."

Bianca rolled her eyes again, "really, Hanna? Is that all you can think of in your head?" When that knowing smirk didn't disappear from Hanna's face, she then snapped, "fine. I kiss him, _twice_, but he refused any more than that. Happy?" She scowled when her friends laughed immediately instead, clearly not believing with what she said. But then again... Had she not been the one who experienced it, she also wouldn't believe her. "Yeah I know, apparently Noel doesn't want to be my rebound guy," she said.

The laughter ceased as Hanna stared at her friend, surprised, "wait, you're serious?"

"Yep," she said, popping out the p. "My love life is so miserable that even our school's playboy doesn't want to hook up with me. Can we talk about something else please?" she added, desperately wanting to change her subject.

Spencer shook her head, grinning, "nope. Nothing's more interesting than this. So what are you doing in his house then if you didn't do anything?"

Bianca groaned at the expectant look from all of her friends. Maybe after this she should focus her mind on fixing Hanna's relationship with Sean and find boys for the rest of her friends quickly. They latched into her relation with Noel like it was their lifeline. Just before she could say anything, her phone rang off, causing everyone to stiffen in anticipation as they watched her taking it out from her pocket. She took a deep breath before glancing down to her phone. Her shoulder immediately sagged in relief when it wasn't A. It was just her father. She had texted him instead of her mother earlier saying that Spencer was afraid alone so the girls were staying over at her place.

**Dad:** _Of course, darling. But be home tomorrow ok, your mother and I need to talk to you._

Of course her father knew about what her mother did, she scowled, and he seemed to side with her instead obviously. He didn't really like Jason at first, knowing his reputation, but decided to trust her decision even though rather grudgingly. Bianca couldn't believe that after all their talks about respecting her wishes and trusting her explicitly, they would stab her in the back like this. Weren't they the one who wanted to be the 'cool' parents who would never judge their daughter? Clearly they changed their mind now and didn't bother to warn her. She rolled her eyes as she typed her reply and put her phone back to her pocket. Then she realized her friends were staring at her expectantly.

"It's not A," she said, watching as her friends immediately sighed in relief.

Now that they already unblocked any unknown numbers from contacting them, every time one of their phones rang, they thought it might be A glowering on how they couldn't escape at all from A's clutch. Neither of them liked the prospect on having A back to their life again, but they figured it was better if A could reach them through phones instead contacting them in public's eyes or through someone else. A knew everything about them, the best way to tick them off, but they had no clue who A was. There were suspects yes, but no solid proof to back their suspicions yet.

"Let's go to sleep," Spencer then declared, standing up, "All these surprises were just getting on my nerves."

"What?" Bianca exclaimed, looking disappointed, "No way, I haven't even caught up with what's happening with you guys!"

"Well, can we do it _while_ getting ready for bed and safe behind another locked door?"

* * *

When Bianca went back to her house the next morning, her head was still reeled off after the shocking video A sent to their phone earlier. She couldn't believe A managed to hide in the closet, filming her friends when they first saw the mirror, without them knowing. In the closet! How could she not think of checking the closet when she came up to retrieve sleeping clothes for them? But then again since A didn't have a video of hers coming in, it meant A was the really the one who left the door unlocked last night. But according to her friends, the only time when they left that room was when they went outside after hearing a snap from the backyard. That was really fast and very sneaky. Bianca was torn between applauding or scared of A for able to elude _four_ of them.

Just as she arrived in front of her house, Bianca noticed that her father's car was still outside and frowned. She thought her father would be gone by now to avoid traffic to Philadelphia. But apparently he wasn't joking that he texted he wanted to talk to her today. Did he really mean _before_ school? Really? Had she not needed her books and there was no paper she had to turn in today, she would have just gone to the school right away. Biting her lips, Bianca took out her phone and quickly texted Noel to pick her up soon. She would have texted Spencer instead, now that they were back to normal, but she knew Noel wouldn't ask questions, unlike Spencer.

Her parents, as she expected, were waiting for her in the end of staircase when they heard the front door opened. "I have quiz today," she quickly said before they could say anything. "Can we please talk later?"

"Of course," her father answered, smiling assuredly. "Are Spencer's parents coming home today? She can just spend the night here instead."

Bianca nodded, "they're on afternoon flight from New York."

"Darling..." her mother called out when she walked passed them to her room and waited until she turned slightly back to them, "I'm really sorry."

She refused to meet their eyes but slumped down her shoulder in defeat. "I know, mum," she said softly before going into her room. How surprised she was to see the pile of clothes she discarded on the floor was gone already and they weren't inside her closet as well when she checked. Instead the last dress she tried on when Spencer texted her was hung in her closet now, altered just like what she wanted last night and more modifications, making it just the perfect dress for her. Bianca bit her lips, knowing her mother must have worked on it after she left and her mother might also be the one who took care of those clothes. How could she keep being angry at her mother after all this? Then Bianca noticed a post-it note attached to the hanger and took it.

_I disagree. You look so much better in white, darling._

_-Mum_

A few drops of tears rolled down her cheeks as she read the note. Now she felt really horrible with the way she treated her mother yesterday, for picking Jason over her mother. She knew her mother only looked out for her best interest. That day was the lowest point on their life. Her mother almost went hysterical after finding out the truth, Jason was nowhere to be found─ at least that was she thought. If her mother managed to talk to Jason twice, then either he came to her house after that day or she tracked him down to demand explanation. Bianca was more inclined to the latter scenario─ and she couldn't forget how disappointed her father looked barely concealed by his anxiety. Remembering how frantic they were that day, she couldn't really blame them for forbidding Jason to see her. At least they gave him a second chance if he reformed himself.

Other parents wouldn't be so lenient after knowing what happened during their relationship.

Bianca dropped down to the floor, closing her eyes. She was tired of this, tired of trying to justify what Jason did to her. She had desperately tried to believe that it was her fault for letting Jason leave her like this. That had she didn't confront him that night, had she not letting Alison get over her head that night, maybe Jason wouldn't heartlessly leave her behind. Maybe he would stay behind for her. But that didn't make her feel better. Instead she lashed out to the only people who helped her through this year. And for what? For someone who just followed what her parents said without thinking what she wanted instead?

The text alert from her phone brought her back from her mind. Bianca wiped her tears as she checked her phone and sighed in relief knowing it was Noel saying he was in front of her house already. She wasn't in the mood for driving right now. Quickly she grabbed the books and homework she needed for today's classes and put it on her backpack before changing into fresh set of clothes prepared on her bed, most likely by her mother. She glanced at the mirror, making sure there were no tear stains on her face, and snatched a makeup bag instead when she saw Noel calling her. When she went outside her room, she couldn't see her parents but she could hear their muffled conversation behind their bedroom. Bianca stopped, hesitantly raised her hand to knock on their door, but then her phone rang again and she averted herself away from her parents' room.

It wasn't like they would disappear once she went to school anyway. She had a more pressing matter to attend, specifically an annoyed driver waiting impatiently in front of her door.

"You look fine," Noel said flatly when she went inside his car, but it couldn't hide annoyance from his tone, "and you made me wait for half an hour, Lexington, after _you_ told me to be quick and pronto."

Bianca grinned sheepishly, "...sorry?"

"Something's wrong?" he asked, pushing down the pedal gas and taking them away from her house, "you seemed frantic in your text."

"Just a misplaced panic," she said. "Is it okay if I hang around your practice today?"

Noel glanced at her with a slight frown, "yeah sure. Why? Problem with the girls?"

"No, we're good with the girls. It's my parents I want to avoid," she mumbled the last part that Noel wasn't sure he was hearing it right at first.

He stared at her in disbelief, "just how many people are you pissed off at, Lexington?"

"I'm not pissed off at my parents," she said, rolling her eyes, "I just found out something they did and got upset and then realized they're not at fault so..." she trailed off, not wanting to explain the whole thing. As she had hoped, Noel only shrugged his shoulder and turned his attention back to the road, dropping the conversation once and for all.

* * *

The day went too fast to her liking and before she knew it, the school was over and Bianca only had Noel's club practice time slot to prevent her from going home. Even now she still had no idea how to talk to her parents, scared of their reaction. All the anger she had from last night was already disappeared and replaced by regret now. But what if they were already disappointed in her? Bianca sighed, burying her face in her hands. This was the first time ever she clashed with both of her parents at the same time and it was kind of her fault this time. Usually it was either of them and the other would help her to talk things out.

"Bianca?"

Bianca looked up to see Spencer walking towards her, carrying her hockey stick. Of course. She forgot that Spencer also had a practice today. "Hey," she greeted, smiling. "Are your parents home already?"

"Yeah, just two hours ago. Melissa too, since you're not asking," she answered, still confused to see her best friend sitting on the bleacher. Though she couldn't help but to quirk a smile when Bianca huffed when she mentioned Melissa's name. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, Noel's taking me home so I'm waiting for him."

Her eyes narrowed at her answer, "I thought you guys weren't dating."

"We're not," Bianca said, taken aback by the accusation laced in her tone, "he picked me up earlier so he'll drop me off after this."

"Why? Do you need to destroy something else in his house?"

Bianca sighed, "because I'm a very bad daughter." When she noticed it only made Spencer more confused, she patted the empty seat next to her. She waited until Spencer sat there, then Bianca rested her head on her shoulder. "My parents came home yesterday," she said.

"Oh? You doesn't look happy this time. Why?"

She closed her eyes, remembering the little argument after she received Spencer's text. "Because I snapped at my mother for prying into our little fight," she bit her lips, briefly wondering whether she should continue her revelation, and in the end decided to continue, "and because I found out that she broke us up last year."

"What?"

"Yeah. Turns out Jason didn't really leave without goodbye. He must have dropped over my place that night but my mother was the one who opened the door and she basically decides I'm not strong enough to handle a long distance relationship right now so he needs to give me some space and time." She glanced up to see the shocked look from Spencer's face, eerily similar to her own face last night. "Yep," she snorted, "my reaction exactly."

"So... your mum doesn't like Jason anymore?"

Bianca shrugged her shoulder, "how would I know? Maybe. Since she also told Jason she wouldn't let him be near me unless he went to rehab."

Spencer uncomfortably squirmed on her seat, not knowing how to react or what Bianca wanted her to response. She knew Bianca loved her mother so much and saw how much she regretted last night in her eyes. But in the other hand, she also knew how much it hurt her friend to find out that it wasn't actually her fault, nor was it Jason's fault, that he didn't contact her at all for a year. So in the end she just rested her hand over her shoulder and stroke her arm, offering comfort. "What are you going to do if he decides to come?" she quietly asked.

Bianca sighed, "I seriously have no idea, Spence."

"Hey you, I'm done." Noel jogged towards them. "Spencer," he added, nodding towards the other girl.

Spencer raised her eyebrow before nodding back, "Noel."

"Are you ready to go?" he asked, turning back to his new friend.

"No, you're not needed. She's coming with me," Spencer quickly answered before Bianca could react, tightening her grip over her shoulder.

Noel only smirked back to her, "well she wanted to come home with me."

"Well she has me now."

Bianca rolled her eyes at their antics and cut in, "well _she_ is here and can talk for herself." She then sighed and glanced to Spencer, smiling apologetically.

"Really?" she scowled, knowing exactly what that face meant, "you want to go with him instead?"

"I kinda promised to him already..." she said, slightly flinched seeing the hurt expression on her best friend, "I'll call you when I get back home?"

Spencer pursed her lips, glancing at Noel who now smirking more smugly at her. "Fine," she said, sulking, "go with your new bestie."

"Aw, you're jealous," Bianca laughed, hugging her briefly, before jumping over the bleacher with the help from Noel. "See you later, Spence!"

They were just walking passed the door back towards the school when Noel draped his hand over shoulder, causing her to look up to him. "Soo... I'm your bestie now?" he asked, smirking, "Bestie with benefit. I like that sound."

Bianca rolled her eyes and punched his side lightly, "dream on, Kahn."

* * *

Her parents, as she feared, were already at home when she got back. The way her father's car was positioned exactly like in the morning, Bianca had a hunch that neither of them went out the whole day. She glanced back longingly at the direction where Noel's car had disappeared to. But it was too late to back down now. She couldn't run away from home just because she had her first agreement with both her parents. Bianca took a deep breath before opening the front door and stepped inside. "Mum? Dad?" she called out, hoping her voice didn't croak from nervousness.

Her father's head popped up from behind the wall, "hey. Your mum and I are preparing for dinner right now. Wanna help us?"

She sighed a smile and said, "yes, of course," before following her father back to the kitchen. How surprised she was to see the ingredients laid out in the counter. She approached the counter hesitantly and glanced there quickly, timidly asked, "sushi?"

Her mother nodded, "you still love sushi, right?"

Bianca nodded back, "yeah..." she watched as her father was busy slicing down the fish precisely while her mother rolled it with the remaining ingredients, cutting the finished product into eight pieces before putting them in a plate. There were already few plates finished and set aside near her, she noticed. Unable to contain her guilt anymore or waiting for her mother to make a move first, Bianca immediately went over to her mother and hugged her from behind. "I'm sorry," she said quietly, resting her head on her mother's back. "I'm sorry, mum."

She could feel her mother's shoulder dropped down and heard a clanking sound before her mother turned around in her arms and hugged her back. When she felt her mother's arms enveloped her in, Bianca sighed in relief and tightened her grip. "Oh darling, of course I forgive you," her mother softly said, "will you forgive me too?"

Bianca nodded vigorously, burying her face in tresses of her mother's hair, "yeah, yeah, I do, mum, I forgive you."

"I really didn't mean to hurt you, darling."

"I know..." she mumbled.

Her mother sighed, caressing her hair, "maybe Jason is still unsure of himself. He will come to you when he's ready."

"It's okay. I don't really care anymore," she muttered, closing her eyes, "I'll be fine." And she really meant it. She didn't care anymore. If Jason didn't want to talk to her anymore, then so be it. She could get over it. Just because Jason was her first in everything right now, didn't mean that he had to be tied to her forever, not if he didn't want to. If Jason could reform himself even without her help, being a better person even without her by his side, then it was enough for her. Maybe this was a sign that she wasn't what Jason deserved best.

"Okay," her mother murmured, "I know you can, darling. You're my daughter," she said, leaning back to look down at her daughter's face. Smile adorned her face as she wiped away the glistening tears in her daughter's face. "And my daughter deserves the best for her," she said, kissing down her forehead. "I'm sure there will be someone else who loves you more than Jason."

Bianca smiled through her watery eyes, "I hope so."

"I know so," her mother countered, smiling back. "Now," she cleared her throat, pulling away, as she helped straightened her daughter's slightly ruffled shirt. "Did you see the dress I chose for you in the closet? What do you think?"

"I love it. What are you going to do with the rest? Are you going to put it on your next collection?"

Her mother shrugged, "maybe. But if you wanted to give some of them to your friends, I'm fine with it too."

"Alright then," her father decided to speak up, startling the mother-daughter pair. "Now that everything's all fine and forgiven, who wants to see my amazing knife skill?" he asked, playing slightly with the knife on his hand, only to miss the last twist and the knife clattered to the floor.

Bianca laughed while her mother shook her head at her husband, grabbing another knife from the counter top behind her, and gave it to her father. "Dad, you don't have any knife skill, okay? We only let you use the knives because you're the man and none of us want to hurt our finger."

"Hey. I'll have you know that _that_ was a blunder, okay?"

As she watched, laughing with her mother, as her father failed another attempt again catching the knife after flipping it to the air, even almost cutting his finger once, Bianca was glad everything was back to normal. Well, as normal as she could attempt. She was sure she could do this─ staring a brand new page, moving on from Jason, enjoying high school like she should be even with A lurking around. And Bianca knew her friends would have her back and help her get through this.

* * *

It wasn't until a week before the Homecoming that Bianca suddenly remembered again she was going to offer her friends those dresses if they hadn't found something to wear. She was too caught up helping Spencer out in the committee since half of the members were down with flu. Her best friend was in the verge of breaking down for trying to hold everything together by herself and Bianca had to help her out. Not only that, now she had to add hanging out with Noel in between her hectic schedule as well, even though most of the time it was her watching his practice while doing her homework. And her friends kept raising their eyebrows for explanation whenever Noel stopped by and whisked her away from them.

The girls had decided to gather in Aria's house, planning an intervention since she holed herself in the room and dressed in sweatpants the whole time. At first they let it go, thinking she would get back to her feet in a day or two but apparently it had stretched out into a week already. So there they were, walking into her room to find her lying curled up in her bed with her earphone plugged in. Spencer sighed and approached the bed, taking off those earphones.

Aria groaned, "what are you doing?"

"An intervention," Spencer flatly said as they watched Aria turning around and sighed seeing them.

Emily raised up her hands which was holding few magazines."We brought takeout and rag mags," she said, dumping them into Aria's laps.

"─but you're not allowed to get any of those until you get out of these sweats," Hanna added, slapping Aria's thigh lightly.

"and do something with your croak voice," Bianca also added, scrunching up her nose, "it's annoying."

Aria grunted as she pushed herself off of her bed and asked, "what's wrong with these?"

"Nothing," Spencer answered, and stared at her pointedly, "except they're starting to graft to your skin."

"Well, they're comfy," Aria defended.

"And _that _is the second stage to insanity if you preferred comfy over fashion," Bianca said, turning to Spencer slightly, "remember me at that time, Spence?"

Spencer snorted, remember the few days Bianca went through the same process. She almost couldn't recognize her only best friend at that time under the sweatpants and disheveled, messy ponytail. Exactly like what Aria had right now. It took her two days with the help of her mother's threat to send her away to another country to get Bianca discarded that stage and returned back to normal. Bianca was really pissed at her that she refused to talk to her for a day before deciding that she didn't like going to classes alone and came over to Spencer's house.

"Besides, how are we going to help you choose your homecoming dresses if you don't pose it for us?" Emily added.

Aria shrugged her shoulder and flatly stated, "well, that's easy. I'm not going."

"Uh yes you are," Bianca said, "if I have to go to homecoming dance with Noel Kahn because Hanna wants us to see her being crowned, then so do you, missy."

"Yeah, you can't just not go," Spencer added.

They kept coming up with reasons to encourage Aria from leaving the comfort and safety of her room and sweatpants and joined them for the homecoming but she kept shooting it down, feeling that it wasn't that took Spencer to admit that she invited Alex to their homecoming as their first official date and she really needed them to be there, making sure Alex wouldn't feel left out, to get Aria agreed to go to the homecoming. Then Emily declared that she would go stag, with Aria decided to follow her suit, until she admitted that there was someone she wanted to go with. Everyone thought it was Ben but Emily quickly shot it down, saying she never ever going to come back with him.

"I'm starving," Hanna suddenly declared, halting their conversation, as she reached out to take a bag of fortune cookies. But then they noticed how her expression changed after reading the fortune.

Bianca raised her eyebrow, grinning, "what did it say? 'Homecoming Queen is not yours to take'?"

"Or," Spencer added, "Confucius says stop being such a drama queen?"

But what Hanna said in response was not what they expected. "Lions and tigers and bitches, oh my! There's no place like homecoming. See you there. A," she looked up to see her friends' expression changed into a sour one.

Spencer quickly grabbed the bag and opened the cookie one by one only to find that they all had the same messages. The challenged was laid, the drum were beating loudly, the war had begun. They shared nervous look, suddenly homecoming didn't seem that fun anymore.

"Well," Bianca spoke loudly, clapping her hands, "I guess this means we need a battle gear then. Anyone need a dress? My mum, as always, makes extra dresses. Who wants one?"

Hanna's face immediately brightened, momentarily forgotten about A's impending threat, "oh, oh, me!"

Emily stared amused at her friend's antic, "didn't you already buy one, like two weeks ago?"

"Who cares? I can return it if hers is better," Hanna confidently said. "Why did I forget that your mum always do this since we're freshmen?" she asked, sighing, "I could have just come to your house and shopped there instead."

"Well, shall we do it later tonight then? Or tomorrow?" Bianca asked, looking around, especially to Hanna and also Aria who still hadn't chosen her dress, "in case you need to get it altered and Heidi is only here until the day before Homecoming."

"I vote tonight!" Hanna quickly said, raising her hand, "or after we eat this takeout?"

Spencer shrugged her shoulder, "well I already find my dress but yeah, it should be fun. Em?"

"Yeah, I'm in."

Yep. With A or not, Bianca was sure she could do normal teenager life with them.

* * *

Or maybe not. Bianca sighed as she stared at her reflection in the mirror, trying to fight the urge to tear away her dress and pretend to be sick so she didn't have to go to the dance. Maybe Aria was right. The Homecoming Dance was stupid and not that important to attend. It was one thing to hang out with Noel in school or going for a coffee with him in between her lesson schedules, but it was another to go out with him to the Homecoming Dance. Granted that it wasn't a prom, but still everyone would think something was going on with them. Even if she said they were just going out as friends, which they really did, no one would believe it.

Not when it concerned Noel Kahn. But it actually wasn't his notorious reputation as a playboy that scared her off to be seen with him in public. She was just nervous to be back on the dating pool─ to make herself available to someone else other than _him_.

And she was afraid that if she messed it up with Noel tonight, she have to face the fact that she might not be able to get over Jason. That forever she would be reminded how messed up it was with Jason and how it ended up with her being scared to be in another relationship after him. Bianca took a deep breath, her eyes closed, stopping herself before she went down to the memory lane again. She was doing so well lately, holding herself together fine enough that Jason never crossed her mind once.

But then again, remembering A's little message in the fortune cookies, Bianca knew she had to be in the homecoming. It could be their only chance to find out who A really was and they couldn't risk another open attack from A just like when they blocked unknown numbers from contacting them. And she couldn't just let her friends went against A just because she was too scared going to social events. She could do this. She could handle a dance.

A loud ring from her doorbell distracted her from her meditation. She glanced sharply at the clock, cursing loudly. Had it been that late already? She vaguely heard her mother calling out for her to come down and then the sound of her front door opened. Quickly she checked over her appearance for the last time, making sure she had put everything her mother laid out earlier. Her heart was beating hard and her palm was sweating like crazy. She could do this. Bianca took a deep breath one more time to calm down and then wore her soft silver satin heels.

Then she could faintly hear her father talking as well and quickly she grabbed her clutch. The last thing she needed was her father trying to intimidate Noel just like he did when she first brought Jason home. Her father already showed distaste when he found out that Noel was taking her to the dance. Yes, she got it. Apparently she attracted boys with bad reputation. She was fine when he did it to Jason since they were really dating, but Noel was just a friend. A very good friend who helped her a lot these past few days. Bianca hurried down the staircase before her father managed to sabotage her evening. "I'm here! Dad, please don't be..." she stopped abruptly in the middle of the staircase, "...mean."

The clutch slipped away from her hand as she stared down at her foyer with wide eyes, didn't believe with what she currently saw. Because the one talking to her parents in the foyer was not her date, the handsome Noel Kahn dressed in his custom made suit from Armani with a bouquet of flower on his hand as he had promised her a day before.

"Jason..." she breathed out.

* * *

_Ta da! As promised, Jason finally appears! Well, kind of, ish... _

_Anyway, if you haven't seen my profile page, I decided to make a tumblr page for this fic. Which is why this chapter is up a bit later than I expected, lols, but hey it's still my fastest update to the record. If you guys are interested, the link is in my profile. _

_Thanks again for the reviews! Hope you all enjoy this chapter (how do you like the little tug a war between Noel and Spencer? :D) and don't forget to drop another one for this. Till next one! _


	6. Homecoming Surprises

**_Homecoming Surprises_**

At first Bianca thought she must be imagining things because it wasn't possible that Jason Dilaurentis actually stood in her foyer right now. Because after all those midnight calls, texts, all those desperate prayers wishing him to return, he chose now to come visit her again. Now that she had sworn him off and finally decided to start moving on, he suddenly appeared in front of her. After ignoring her message for weeks and instead talking with Spencer, now he decided to meet her again? Right when she was about to go on a date with someone else? Either Jason unintentionally had the worst timing ever or he really was waiting for this moment.

Bianca dazedly walked step by step down the stairs, ignoring the presence of her parents. Her eyes trailed on his figure, taking in every inch of him and comparing him to the Jason in her memory. She thought the suit was just something he needed to wear for the funeral at that time but seeing him in another one now caused her to realize again how much she didn't know about this new Jason. When she was finally stopped a step away from him, she finally raised her head to stare at his greenish blue eyes and saw exactly how much he had changed. There were no more glint of amusement she used to notice in his eyes. They only held anguish, sorrowful look now. There were too much sadness in his eyes that Bianca couldn't help but wanting to embrace him, taking it away from him.

Unable to look into his eyes much longer, her eyes caught his slightly crooked tie and Bianca automatically raised her hands to fix it. When her hand touched something solid and Jason didn't disappear from her, Bianca could feel her body relaxed. She was not dreaming this. He was really here, in front of her, and she could touch him. Her hand played slightly with the tie before moving to his jacket collars down to the lapels, smoothing it. Bianca froze when her eyes noticed his much larger hand suddenly covered one of hers and she raised up to meet his eyes again. She could feel her chest tightened again when she noticed that his gaze soaked her in. Looking through her was a better definition to describe his expression. Feeling so conscious under his growing intense stare, she could feel the Swarovski crystals adorning her halter-illusion style dress seemed to tighten and clench her neck, squeezing the air out of her.

Until gradually his face relaxed and lit up in a smile. "You look amazing as always, B," Jason softly said.

Hearing his voice this close for the first time in a year, her dazed expression immediately disappeared and replaced by furious look in a split second as something snapped inside Bianca and she raised her hand to lash a slap at him. Her eyes widened hearing the loud crack when Jason just let it landed on his cheek, his head was turned to the side from the force of her slap. As if he had expected this to happen. Her lips quivered and her breath labored as she tried to control herself and hold back the tears. Bianca stared down at her red, tingling hand.

It seemed forever had passed when Jason finally raised his hand and touched his cheek, possibly still stinging with pain since he seemed to flex his jaw repeatedly. He stared down at her, noticing her glistening eyes. "I guessed I deserve that," he said, only to have another slap landed on his other cheek a moment later. "And that too," he conceded, turning his head back to her. This time that fury look on her face was now changed into a hurtful look. He sighed, "Bianca..."

Hearing her name escaped his lips again, Bianca pushed him away out of anger as she breathed heavily both from the amount of force she needed to accomplish it and the constantly changing emotion inside her. "Why didn't you call me back?!" she asked, seething with anger.

Jason glanced hesitantly towards her parents who were standing not far from behind her, watching their conversation closely in case they needed to intervene. And Bianca knew exactly why he did that. So when he opened his mouth after shifting his gaze back to her, Bianca knew he was just going to lie to her again or even trying to change the topic so she cut him off before he could say anything. Before the anger completely clouded her mind.

"Don't you dare lie to me, J," she hissed, not realizing his old nickname slipped away from her lips. "I already know what mum said to you."

His eyes widened slightly hearing her announcement, briefly glanced at her parents who nodded to confirm it. So he sighed in resigned, having no choice but to tell the truth. "Then you know what I was trying to do the whole year," he said. When Bianca looked like she was ready to slap him again, he quickly raised his hand in surrender.

Bianca pursed her lips as she reluctantly lowered her hand down. "And since when are you listening to my parents instead? Since when do you care about what they wanted, J?!" she demanded, glaring at him with her voice raised and not caring right now if their neighbors could hear her. Her eyes narrowed watching as he opened his mouth, ready to answer her, but a moment later, he clamped down.

"Darling," her mother suddenly stepped up, placing a hand on her shoulder, "maybe you should calm down and─"

She shrugged that hand away and snapped, "not now, Mum! I want my answers from him and I want it _now_." Then she turned towards him again, cocking her hand on her waist, and demanded again, "well?"

"I made a promise to your mother to get myself fixed and I just─"

"─and you promised me we would get through this together, J! Together!"

Jason flinched, remembering that promise he made three days after Alison's disappearance when they stepped out from the police station again on that day. His eyes softened as he stepped closer to her, reaching out to wipe the tears staining her face. "I know, B, but this is more important. They were right," he said quietly, "I do need to stop using and being serious in my life if I want to be with you. I promised that too to you, remember?"

The moment his finger touched her cheek, all Bianca wanted to do was to throw herself at him and forget everything that happened between them. Her shoulder sagged down as she closed her eyes, feeling the warmth from his hand spread inside her. She let his finger trailed after tears on her cheek, stroking them away, and was ready to just surrender to her desire when his thumb grazed her bottom lips. Her body tingled realizing this was the first time they were this close after a year. So close that his favorite cologne managed to entice her leaning in and taking a deep breath. But then memories of hers crying in the bed flashed in her mind and she quickly recovered herself and fought that desire. Bianca opened her eyes and immediately she slapped his hand away. "That still doesn't give you right to hurt me, J!"

Jason sighed, running his hand through his hair. "Would it help to know I was thinking about you the whole time and that I really missed you?" he asked quietly.

The corner of her lips slightly twitched up into a smile for a split second before she turned back to scowling and hit his chest. "Oh wow, really? What a funny way to show. that. to. _me_!" she shouted angrily, hitting him on every word. And it didn't help that he did nothing to stop her, just stood there accepting her hit. "I thought I did something wrong, you jerk! I thought you hated me! I thought─" she stopped, choking on her tears, "I thought you were dead. I thought what happened to Alison happened to you too and I..." She stopped, unable to finish her sentence. Her hands were still grasping his jacket, too tired to hit him again or do anything.

Bianca had assumed that if Jason returned and they could talk things through, everything would be back to normal. That he could heal this gaping wound he had left behind a year ago on her heart if he had just come back. That he could whisk away those fear and horrible nightmares if he just stayed with her again. But it wasn't. Seeing him didn't do anything to ease her mind nor did it make her relieved. But instead she felt so drained from the emotional roller coaster he put her through.

She just wanted to shut everything off inside her and not feel anything.

"...you were right."

Bianca looked up in surprise. Tears had blurred her vision but she could clearly see the guilty look on his face.

"I should've called you, at least so you knew I'm going to rehab and finish my school," he sighed, closing his eyes. "But when I got out of rehab, it was already months since I last saw you..." He took a deep breath before opening his eyes back and staring straight to her, "and I shouldn't do that. I'm sorry, Bianca. I really do."

All Bianca wanted to do was to scream at him again, wanted to let him know that his apology was long past due and it would never be accepted not now, not ever. That him coming here was just a waste of time because she would never forgive and forget. Not this one. But why there was no sound coming out from her mouth? Why couldn't she speak out those venom words she had prepared out of anger for him? Instead she felt guilty for losing her temper like that to him. She wanted to hate him so much, wanted to blame him for everything that happened to him. But instead seeing him so vulnerable like this only made Bianca wanted to just welcome him back to her life.

"B, I─"

The front door suddenly opened before Jason could finish his sentence, causing creaking sound as it did. Their head snapped immediately towards the door after hearing that sound, only to find Noel peeked his head inside. He looked confused at first as he stepped inside the house until he caught Jason's presence in the foyer and realization dawned on him, especially after seeing Bianca's tears streaked face. "Hi," he said, slightly uncomfortable, knowing he must have interrupted a heated conversation between his date and her ex. "Sorry. The front door was opened so I just..." his voice trailed off as he focused on Bianca and asked, "should I just leave and─"

Bianca literally jumped away from Jason when her mind finally registered who it was standing in her doorway. "No. Don't," she quickly said, looking around for her clutch, which she found on the staircase. "We're going." She kept her head down, not wanting to see Jason's reaction right now. But when she walked past him, a hand shot up and grabbed her wrist, stopping her.

"I didn't know you had a date."

There was a hint of accusation in his tone that made Bianca looked up and glared at him. "Well if you just called me back at least once, you would know it," she snapped, narrowing her eyes as if to challenge him to say anything before snatching her hand away from his now loosened grip when he didn't respond back. "Let's go, Noel," she said, looping her hand around Noel's arm and slightly dragged him away from the house. Not once did she want to look back to see Jason's expression seeing her left, not when it could crumble her resolution.

* * *

"You okay?" Noel asked when they were in safe distance from her house, sneaking a glance at her. She hadn't spoken anything since she dragged him away from the house, only stared outside the window on her side.

Bianca rolled her eyes, turning away from the window, and answered, "I'm fine." She pulled down the sunshade above her head and opened the vanity mirror there. At least her make up wasn't entirely ruined from earlier and all she needed to do was just retouching it a bit.

"You sure?"

She stopped re-applying the concealer under her eyes and turned at him, clearly annoyed. "If I want to be with someone who's harping at me the whole time, I would have caught ride with Spencer instead. Just drive, Noel," Bianca said sharply before resuming to make herself more presentable. "I keep you around because you don't question much," she continued while dabbing the concealer to cover the stained area, "so don't make me regret my decision."

Bianca watched from the corner of her eyes as Noel pursed his lips, struggling not to snap back at her. There was no question or even a single word coming out of his mouth after that. But she knew he was pissed off seeing the sharp turns he made and immediate last minute break at the red lights, jerking her off slightly from her seat quite often. Bianca rolled her eyes at his antics, choosing to ignore him and focus on retouching her makeup. She didn't really need him for tonight. If it came to worse, she could just go stag like Aria planned to. It was more convenient anyway. That way if A made a move or Spencer needed a hand, she didn't have to be worried to leave him alone.

She almost bumped her head to the dashboard when Noel almost spun the car around and skidded in halt on his usual parking spot. Bianca turned around, ready to lash out at him, only to find he already went out of the car and walked towards her side of the door. Scowl etched on her face as she watched her door being opened and a hand was offered to her. When she took that offered hand, he immediately yanked her out harshly and slammed the door shut. Bianca yelped out in surprise when her back was pushed against the car, pressed between Noel and the door. Her wrists were now bound in his death grip on the side of her head. "What the hell, Kahn?!"

"Look, I don't care what you talked with Dilaurentis that made you like this, but you're my date tonight, okay, B? Act like it."

She struggled to free herself from his grip but he was too strong for her so Bianca settled on glaring at him. "I don't like your tone," she snapped.

"Well I don't like your attitude," he snapped back, "so I guess we're even."

Bianca narrowed her eyes, really not liking how Noel acted tonight. She tried to pull herself off from the car but still his grip wouldn't let her do so. If this was how he thought he could pull her over, then he seriously made the wrong move. Just as she was about to raise her knee to hit him, a loud honk startled both of them. Bianca scowled when she saw Hanna's head coming out of the car behind them, smirking at her. "Making out in parking lot? My, my, B! I never pegged you for a bold one."

Even though she was annoyed at Hanna for shouting it out and attracting attention from other passersby, at least it made Noel to release his grip on her. Bianca massaged her wrists, glaring at him. She was about to snap at him when to her surprise, he rested his hand on her shoulder and pulled her close to him. "Aw. See Hanna, you make her blushed," Noel commented with a grin, leaning down to kiss her temple. If it hurt, he didn't show it in his face when Bianca stomped on his feet using her stiletto heels.

"Yeah, right," Hanna laughed as she came out from the car, smoothing her dress. "Bianca never blushes."

Sean walked around the car, wrapping his hand around his girlfriend's waist, mirroring the couple in front of them. "You'll vote for us right, guys? Hanna's been nervous-wrecked about it the whole day."

"I did _not_," Hanna interjected, horrified that even Sean noticed her anxiousness. She thought she had it covered the moment she finished her make up earlier but apparently not.

"And you shouldn't," Bianca added, causing Hanna to brighten up from her encouragement, and stepped forward to re position Hanna's necklace. "After all it would be too shame if you're not chosen, seeing you already have the perfect hairstyle for the crown," she said smiling as she patted Hanna's cheek. "Smile, Hanna. Homecoming Queen shouldn't have a frown line on the picture later."

Hanna could only stare at Bianca, her smile faltered as she was unsure of how to respond back because that girl in front of her didn't sound like her friend at all. She could detect the taunting laced in her tone easily and Bianca would never say like that to her. Especially not with that kind of smile. It eerily looked like Alison's whenever she planned something and Hanna didn't like the similarity.

"You guys should go in first," Bianca suddenly said, "I forgot something in the car."

Sean nodded and half dragged Hanna towards the cafeteria. When she was sure those two were already far enough from them, Bianca turned her body slightly and immediately delivered punch right to his stomach, causing him to keel over from the hit. She grabbed his shoulder and leaned up slightly to reach his ear and whisper, "do that to me again and I swear I'll make you suffer more." Then she leaned back and smiled brightly. "All set?"

Noel took a deep breath, groaning as he straightened his posture. "Damn Bianca, I didn't think you'll really punch me," he winched while rubbing the pain away from his stomach. "Got everything out of your system now?" Maybe next time he just let her bottling in her emotion for awhile instead of provoking it out, if he had to be punched every time.

"Enough to enjoy the dance," she smirked, running her finger along his arm while looking up to him through her eyelashes, "and maybe more."

Noel followed trail of her finger before lacing it with his. "I change my mind," he declared, causing Bianca to raise her eyebrow in question. "Maybe I like this attitude," he said grinning as Bianca snorted and pulled him away from his car.

* * *

When Hanna told her earlier about how Bianca practically taunting her for might losing the Homecoming Queen title to someone else, Spencer thought she was just joking or that maybe Bianca did. Bianca would never cruelly trying to undermine Hanna's confidence when they knew how hard it was for Hanna to work out and become how she was right now. So Spencer thought maybe Hanna falsely read her intention. But it seemed she was wrong because when Bianca finally arrived with Noel, later than her promised time which was supposed to be the first warning, and somehow managed to subtly mock Alex _and _Mona within her first few minutes there. Not only that Bianca looked unfazed of their reaction and there were brief of time when Spencer swore Bianca actually meant what she said.

She couldn't believe her ear as well when Bianca said how surprised she was to see Alex was actually able to blend in with the crowd. It was one thing to mock Mona about her dress and that her date shouldn't forget how embarrassing Mona was a year ago because Mona did remark snidely about Aria coming to the dance without a date. She would have said something rude back to Mona had Bianca didn't react first. But it was another thing to subtly remind Alex how different his status was compared to the others. Not when Bianca knew already how nervous Spencer was to bring Alex to the homecoming. Bianca _was _the one who encouraged her to take Alex to the dance and swore she wouldn't let Alex felt out of place even for a second, even if she had to ditch Noel to do so.

So who was this person standing in front of her?

Because her best friend wouldn't just break her promise that easily, hurting her in process. For a second, Spencer thought that Bianca was taking a revenge for contacting Jason by herself but she had to remind herself that they already resolved that problem. Bianca herself said she didn't want to think about Jason anymore and wanted to move on, with or without his explanation. Which was why Spencer didn't put up that much protest when Bianca spending part of her free time with Noel every day even though his reputation still made her wary.

And Spencer knew that this wasn't because Bianca didn't like Alex since she was there when Spencer first met Alex in the club. Spencer had asked Bianca to accompany her practicing even if Bianca didn't join in the court and instead doing her homework or reading books. Bianca was the one who kept teasing her about Alex as they returned home from the club that day. Even earlier when she was held back on a last minute committee meeting, Bianca actually stayed behind to accompany Alex who came to pick Spencer up. When Spencer could finally finish the meeting, she found Alex telling Bianca about his most hilarious moments in the club in return for Bianca telling few dirts about Spencer. If that didn't say how easy they hit it off with each other, Spencer didn't know what to explain.

But this Bianca in front of her... Spencer was sure something must have happened between her dropping Bianca off at her house and now that caused her like this. And Noel seemed to know what caused it because she could see him darting his glance at Bianca every few seconds and even refused to let go of her waist. When Bianca made a remark on how she would find someone for Aria to spend time with even if she had to force him, Spencer knew she had to send Aria away quick before Bianca did more damage.

To her horror, Bianca seemed to brighten up hearing the word beanbag toss since she quickly turned to Noel and asked if he still wanted to show off his arm strength as he apparently bragged of few times before. Spencer subtly tried to signal Noel by shaking her head repeatedly, to not come to that game when Aria was there. But apparently Noel didn't notice her frantic signal because he immediately agreed and led her away from the group.

"OK, spill out," Hanna immediately rounded on her just as Bianca and Noel was already far away from them. "What happened to B?"

"How am I supposed to know?" Spencer exclaimed, "when we dropped her off earlier, she was all fine."

Hanna huffed. "Well did you do something that ticked her off again?" she asked, reminding her friend about the Jason thing that made Bianca blew up in the park and refused to talk to them for few days.

Spencer was about to answer but she was distracted by the sight of her sister talking to some other alumni near the cafeteria entrance. Her sister, who was not supposed to be in Rosewood this weekend, was standing few feet away from her. "Could you excuse me for a moment?" she asked to Alex who nodded before turning to Hanna. "Talk to him. We'll do something about B later." Spencer said before approaching her sister. She had hoped she could enjoy this night with Alex, properly introducing him to her friends, having fun with both Alex and her friends, just like normal teenager. But no. It seemed that she couldn't catch a break even just for a moment.

* * *

Neither did Spencer realize, Noel actually saw the subtle yet frantic signal she gave him when Bianca suddenly wanted to play beanbag toss. But he also knew that if he kept Bianca around them, he had no idea what she was going to do next. And he also thought Bianca would regret it if she damaged her friendships more than she did now. Besides a teacher would also man the booth together with Aria and he was sure Bianca wouldn't make a scene in front of teacher so at least they're safe just for a while.

But Noel immediately regretted his decision when they approached the booth and Bianca's face lightened up when they saw it was Mr. Fitz on the duty. He tightened his grip on her waist, trying to warn her silently. But Bianca seemed to be oblivious by it since she broke free from his grip and leaned her elbows on the stand, twirling her hair, as she greeted their English teacher. "Hey, Mr. Fitz," she smiled coyly, "no date tonight?"

"I'm on duty to watch you kids tonight so no," Mr. Fitz answered, taking the coupon Noel gave him.

"Aw, Mr. Fitz, you should've told me earlier. I would dump Noel for you anytime. That way you can at least watch over one student the whole night," she winked. When their teacher looked bewildered and seemed unsure how to respond back, Bianca giggled and straightened herself. "I'm just joking, Mr. Fitz. Take it easy," she said, waving it off.

Noel shook his head at their luck. Why did it have to be Mr. Fitz who manned the booth? Why couldn't it be the older, less attractive teacher? "Yep," he put his hand on her shoulder and lightly pulled her away from the stand. "You'll find her in joking mood tonight, Mr. Fitz."

"Ah, okay," Mr. Fitz said, still unsure as he glanced between Bianca and then back to Aria who still looked shocked, before pushing the bowl of beanbag towards them. "You know the rules."

Noel grabbed the beanbag, playing it in his hand for a moment, before throwing it to the board when Aria started spinning it around. He grinned when all of his throws went in. "See?" he said smugly at Bianca as Mr. Fitz gave him the big stuffed fish doll. "Told you I'm good at this."

Bianca tilted her head towards the board for awhile before smirking and taking out another set of coupon to give it to Mr. Fitz. When their teacher set aside another bowl of beanbags to be tossed, Bianca turned around, squeezing herself between the stand and Noel, "Hm, I bet you can't do it with a distraction."

Not in the mood to back down from any kind of challenge, Noel snorted. "Okay, I'm game. What kind of distraction?"

"This kind," she whispered before jumping up to sit on the stand. Not wanting to give an opening for anyone to react, her legs immediately latched around Noel's to pull him closer to her and she wrapped her hand around his neck to pull him down and kissed him hard, shocking everyone including Noel. He dazedly remembered that there was a beanbag on his hand that he needed to throw when he felt her lips moving against his. Or that he really shouldn't return her kiss vigorously since they were in public and their position right now was too scandalous with at least one teacher was standing very close to them.

The beanbag fell limp to the floor when Noel wrapped his arm around her waist and pushed himself as close as possible to her as he deepened their kiss, inserting his tongue into her mouth, and groaned when she responded back, refusing to submit to him. If it weren't for the loud cough from behind pulling them back to reality, Noel was sure they would get into serious trouble. Bianca broke their kiss and jumped down to his side, looking unfazed as if it was normal occurrence for her. "So, how did he do?" she asked.

Mr. Fitz bent down to pick the bean bags from the floor and shook his head. "Better luck next time."

Bianca smirked at her date, "turns out you're not that great after all."

"You cheated," Noel remarked, scowling as he wiped her red lipstick around his lips.

"Mm hmm," Bianca then turned to their teacher. "What about you, Mr. Fitz?" she asked, tilting her head sideways, as she leaned foward, "wanna try the game with little distraction? I'm sure Noel can help─"

Noel quickly put a hand over her mouth and pulled her away. "Sorry Mr. Fitz," he said, "she had a bit of drinks before coming here." And he quickly dragged her away from the shocked Mr. Fitz and Aria before they could react back. He shook his head in exasperation when she shrugged her hand away from his grip. Dumping the stuffed toy to someone passing by, he quickly caught up with her and grabbed her elbow to stop her. "What was that?" he hissed, "I thought you have everything under control."

Bianca rolled her eyes, "I _have_. Stop overreacting, Kahn."

"Well I should be since you seemed about to kiss our English teacher just now." He narrowed his eyes when she didn't seem to be affected by his talk. "We better go home now. You're acting out of control, Bianca," he added when she was about to protest.

Her hand folded in front of her chest and her eyes narrowed as she huffed, "I'm _not_ going home now. You can go but I'm staying."

"He might be gone already."

"I'm not afraid of him!"

"Really? Because I can't think of any other reason why you're suddenly out of control like this."

Bianca was about to retort back when she caught someone coming in on the corner of her eyes. She raised her finger, signing Noel to stop talking, as she tried to register whether what she saw was real or not. But when the sight of Emily and _Toby Cavanaugh_ walking in hand to hand didn't disappear from her view, Bianca realized it was real. "Hold that thought," she said quickly and walked towards her just arrived friend, carelessly dropping her clutch had it not been Noel who caught it.

"Bianca!"

She turned around, annoyed, "I'm just going to my friends, Noel. Go bother someone else!"

* * *

"Well, well, well," Bianca immediately said, startling her friends, but she ignored them and focused on Toby instead. "Toby Cavanaugh in a dance with," she glanced over him from head to toe, "tee and jeans." Her eyebrow raised at the his clothing's choice. "That's quite bold," she smirked, "I like it. Save me a dance later?"

"Um, sure..." Toby hesitantly answered. A glance at Emily's expression told him that this wasn't how Bianca usually acted. "I'll get us drink," he told Emily, getting uncomfortable being around her friends.

"You're here with Toby?" Spencer hissed when Toby was already a bit far from them.

"Either you have some genius plan of sleeping with the enemy, or you've lost your mind!" Aria added.

Emily sighed hearing her friends' accusation. "You don't even know him," she pointed it out because no one except her had spent time with Toby and actually talked with him. Not even Bianca who still seemed not convinced about Toby being A.

Bianca could feel headache coming in as the other three only got more hostile against Toby after Emily's comment. She rubbed her temple until she finally had enough. "OK, stop right there," she said firmly and loudly as her friends stopped arguing and turned to her. "We're here to enjoy the dance, having fun with our date. If Emily wants to get it on with Toby, it's her choice. We don't care. And you," she pointed at Spencer next, "go back to the lonely boy because I'm sure some girls here wouldn't mind dating a towel boy. You," she then turned to Hanna, "better not destroy the second chance Sean gave you because it will be embarrassing if our Homecoming King and Queen broke up before being crowned."

Then she finally turned to Aria. At first she frowned and then glanced around before grabbing a boy who had just passed them by. "Do you have a date?" she bluntly asked.

The boy stared at her in confused, "um... no?"

"Perfect!" Bianca grinned, "Aria doesn't have a date too. You two should dance together."

"I don't need a date, Bianca," Aria hissed, half annoyed and half mortified at Bianca's attempt to find her a date. "No offense. Sorry," she said to the boy who just shrugged and was about to walk away when Bianca tightened her grip on his arm.

"I'm sorry, didn't you hear me clearly?" Bianca literally pushed the boy towards Aria, ignoring his protest, "you two, dance. Now."

"Look," the boy spoke up, "I'm not that desperate just to─" he clamped down when Bianca directed her glare at him.

Spencer grabbed Bianca's hand to pull her away from the others slightly, "what is going on with you?"

Bianca rolled her eyes, "nothing." Then she raised her eyebrow when Aria and the boy still hadn't moved from their spot. "Do you need help getting to the dance floor, Aria?"

Aria was about to retort back when that boy sighed and offered his hand to her. "I think your friend won't rest if you don't," he said. As much as she actually wanted to have fun tonight, meeting with new people, she didn't like it when it was shoved into her face like this.

Having enough with Bianca's new attitude, Spencer quickly pulled Bianca further away from Aria, giving her a chance to refuse him without Bianca hovering over them. As much as she wanted to strangle her best friend for ruining her plan for tonight, Spencer knew that they would repeat the outburst in the park again in here so she had to be the rational one in here. "Did something happen, B?" she asked.

But Bianca only raised her eyebrow and glanced down pointedly at Spencer's grip on her elbow. Spencer then let go of her arm and stepped back in reflex. An eerily familiar feeling washed over her when she realized the same thing had happened before, but it wasn't with Bianca before. No, it actually was with Alison. But Spencer immediately shook that thought out of her head, trying to focus on the current situation before hand.

"Shouldn't you be concern where your boy toy is instead of hounding on me?"

"What is _wrong_ with you?" Spencer pestered again once she got over her initial shock, "you, of all people, know Alex is not a boy toy! I expect this comment from Melissa, not my _best_ friend."

Bianca rolled her eyes, "oh please. With the way you treated him right now, I won't be the only one with that thought in the room, Spence."

"Well maybe I won't have this kind of predicament if my best friend isn't acting weird right now," Spencer countered back, gritting her teeth. When Bianca didn't look apologetic or even perturbed at all, Spencer gave up trying to make sense of her sudden change in behavior.

Bianca scoffed when Spencer just turned around and left without saying anything. Like she would feel guilty just from that. Not tonight. Tonight all Bianca wanted was not to feel guilty or anything at all. Tonight she wouldn't be the same girl who kept everything bottled up inside her until she was cornered or overwhelmed. Because this was the only way she could forget about _him_, to not feeling guilty for choosing to leave with Noel instead of talking to him earlier.

"There you are," Bianca turned around to find Noel was standing behind her. "I've been looking for you," he said, offering his hand towards her. "Come on, let's dance."

"Oh? Not so annoyed with me anymore, are you?"

Noel shrugged his shoulder, "nah. I've had worse girlfriend than you."

"You _did not_ just compare me with your stupid ex," she said, deadpanned.

His lips curled up in a grin. "Care to beat me up in the dance floor then?" he asked as his finger twitched slightly, beckoning her closer.

Bianca stared down at his offered hand for a moment before letting herself being led to the dancing floor by Noel. She gave him pointed look when the music changed into a slow dance, knowing he must had a hand on the music's sudden chance, and bit down her lips to hide an amused smile when he only wiggled his eyebrows at her. But she didn't protest when he wrapped his hand around her waist and pulled her closer to him. Bianca rested her head against his shoulder and wrapped her own hands around his back, as they swayed into the music. As Noel hummed the song lyrics in her ear, Bianca could feel herself finally relaxed for the first time since they stepped inside the auditorium.

But then Jason appeared on the corner of her eyes and Bianca snapped her head up, leaning slightly away from Noel, only to find there was no Jason standing near them. She frowned slightly as she could have sworn she really saw Jason and it wasn't a fragment of her imagination. But her eyes couldn't lie to her and she really didn't see Jason anymore. Ignoring the questioning look from Noel, she rested her head back to his shoulder. Just when she could finally relaxed, Jason managed to invade her mind again. Of course.

Bianca tightened her grasps on Noel's jacket, not being able to enjoy the dance anymore. Even though she knew there was nothing wrong with her going with Noel to the dance, especially as friends, there was this tiny voice that started whispering when Bianca had her arm wrapped around Noel, telling her how she betrayed Jason by being with Noel.

"You okay?" Noel asked again, murmuring against her ear.

She immediately stiffened and pushed herself away from his embrace, refusing to meet his gaze. "I'm bored and thirsty," she said flatly. "Get me some drinks. Please," she added when Noel seemed to be reluctant leaving her alone.

When Noel finally went to the food table after telling her to stay put with a pointed look, Bianca quickly scanned through the crowd trying to find Jason. There was no way it was just her imagination, especially when Jason came to her house earlier dressed in suits. He must have planned to come to the homecoming. So where was he? A pang of guilt rose up in her chest when Bianca realized there was a chance Jason came by so they could go the dance together. Shaking her head, Bianca narrowed her eyes to look for Jason once more when she caught a glimpse of Alex being alone in the party. Knowing Spencer must have left him _again_, probably because of Toby's presence, Bianca sighed and decided come over to him when Melissa blocked her way.

"You have no idea how surprised I am to see you go with Eric's little brother. I thought you would have run to Eric instead. Isn't that your preference? Going after older boys?"

Bianca rolled her eyes. Of course Melissa couldn't help but trying to get a rise out of her. "Running out of people to dump your misery on, Melissa?"

"I'm just here as a concerned friend, Bianca. I know how hard it is to lose someone for something you didn't do." Melissa's compassionate expression was very genuine that Bianca would fall for it had she not known that older woman for a long time.

"Oh please. Spare me your theatrics act, Melissa. We all know why you're really here talking to me for."

Melissa only smiled back at her, unfazed by her comment, "I'm just saying. If you need someone who had gone through the same thing, you're more than welcome to come to me, B."

Her eyes narrowed as she stepped menacingly forward to the older woman. "Sure," she said, sneering, "when I got engaged and my sister kissed my fiancee, I'll definitely look for your advice, Melissa."

The pretense smile was immediately wiped off from Melissa's face as she returned the sneer with the same intensity. "You know, I still have no idea what Jason saw in you that he's willing to play babysitter on ninth grader. But then again he's high almost the whole summer, so I can't really blame him."

Bianca stiffened hearing it. Alison had made the same comment when she found out Bianca was dating her brother. But Bianca knew it wasn't true. She _hoped _it wasn't true, because why else Jason still came back to her house earlier, apologizing for hurting her? They were wrong. They _had _to be wrong. Her sneer faltered for a second before she composed herself. "Is that what you've been telling yourself the whole year?" Bianca countered back, "that Ian was high all summer and couldn't think straight when he broke off with you?"

"You have no idea what actually happened between Ian and me," Melissa hissed.

Bianca raised her eyebrow, "oh I know enough to make you squirm," When Melissa looked shocked for a brief moment, Bianca smirked, "I'm with Jason almost the whole summer remember? I was there when Ian bunked in his house, partying, getting high in Jason's room. You have no idea how easy it was to get him talked when he's really stoned."

She watched in satisfaction as Melissa opened her mouth to retaliate but a few seconds later, she decided to clamp down and shot Bianca a dirty look before walking away from the younger girl. No wonder Alison or A loved holding their secrets over their head. If it was always as exhilarating as she felt right now seeing Melissa backed away from her, then Bianca couldn't really blame Alison for keep doing it until her death. It gave her power, ultimate control to keep herself detached from the emotion ran through the others. She didn't feel guilty nor did she feel disappointed or fear. It was exactly just what Bianca needed for tonight.

* * *

Even when Noel came back with two punch glasses and dragged her over to each booth, trying out every games they offered, Bianca couldn't help but keep wandering back to the moment she saw a glimpse of Jason in the room. She swore their eyes met at that time so Jason should have known she saw him. But then she remembered again their conversation back in her house. Had Noel not come at that moment, Bianca wondered what Jason would say, if he would ask her to be his date to the homecoming. If she didn't let her emotion overcame her sense, would she be here in Jason's arm instead, starting a new page of their relationship?

Sometimes Bianca hated the fact that she inherited her mother's streak of stubbornness and hot headed. It had cost her quite numbers of fallen friendship before and even with trying every help she could get, it was still difficult to control her emotion especially when it got too personal to her. To be honest, seeing Spencer was still befriending her after knowing how difficult it was to endure her horrible mood swing really surprised her. And there was this little voice in her head telling her that the only reason Spencer still forgave her after the park incident was because of Alison and A.

It was funny how the two people Bianca could care less in the whole world were the one who gave her friends. Bianca knew she wouldn't be this close to Spencer and also the other girls had it not been for Alison. They wouldn't be reunited and be friends again after a year had it not been for A.

Bianca sighed when she saw Melissa coming up to the stage, knowing she would announce the Homecoming King and Queen, and leaned back to Noel. "I want to go home after this," she said, loud enough for him to hear but not the others around them.

Noel raised his eyebrow but chose not to say a word and nod back.

At least A didn't really make any move at all tonight so it's a good thing. And Jason wouldn't be in her house anymore, she was sure of it. She had burnt the last bridge between them and neither of them could come back from that even if they wanted to. Jason and her were done. She tightened her grip over Noel's arm. It's over. Bianca quickly wiped away the one tear that managed to escape before anyone noticed. Crying in public was not a good idea, especially in the homecoming dance.

But then her lips immediately quirked a smile hearing Melissa announced Hanna as the Homecoming Queen, just like what they expected. Her eyes weaved through the crowd trying to find where her friend was, but only Sean came up to the stage. Bianca frowned when she saw Spencer and Aria subtly left the auditorium, following what resembled Hanna's back dress. "I'll be right back," she said to Noel and quickly followed her friends, while trying to figure out what they had been up to.

Bianca found them huddling close in the middle of the mirror hallway. "What are you doing?" she demanded, frightening her friends. "Well?" she asked again when they didn't answer.

"God Bianca, stop sneaking on us!" Aria admonished her.

But her eyes focused on the thick file on Spencer's hand, ignoring Aria's completely. "What is that?" she asked, narrowing her eyes.

"Nothing," Spencer quickly said, trying to hide the file but failed.

Bianca rolled her eyes, "don't make me force it out of you, Spence."

"It's Toby's file," Hanna answered and then immediately received exasperated look from both Spencer and Aria. "What?" she defended, "she needs to know it as well."

Hanna's answer caused Spencer to have no other choice but to give the file to Bianca reluctantly. Bianca opened the file and skimmed through it, finally realizing what Alison had over Toby that made him agreed to take the fall that night. Toby was having sex with Jenna that night and Alison saw it. "Huh, never really thought it was just about that."

"Really? That's your only reaction?" Spencer asked incredulously.

"What else should it be?" Bianca gave the file back to Hanna, shrugging her shoulder, "I mean, I thought he was doing something way more terrible, but he just had sex with his step-sister. It's not like they're related."

"B!"

Her friends stared at her in shock hearing how offhanded her remark was.

"It's a problem because it's enough proof that Toby wants Ali dead," Spencer said, still staring disbelief at her best friend. Something was seriously wrong about her tonight.

"Yeah, and Jenna too for blinding her," Aria added. "And now they wanted to kill us! How can you be so calm?"

In a way her friends were right. With this file in their knowledge, everything did point out to Toby and Jenna. They had a valid motive to kill Alison and harassing them even until now. Bianca sighed tiredly, of course everything still had something to do with what Alison did. It felt like there was no way escaping from her even after she's dead. But Toby and Jenna tried to kill them? That didn't sound like A. A had done nothing but just trying to scare them off once in awhile. Bianca didn't really feel like A wanted to kill them or anything.

"Innocent until proven guilty, B," Spencer said, repeating what Bianca said when they started thinking Jenna was A with the help from Toby. "We have the proof now," she added, knowing Bianca still looked dubious, though she didn't understand why.

"Oh my God, Emily!" Aria suddenly exclaimed, taking out her phone and tried to call Emily.

Bianca frowned, "where's Emily?"

"She's with Toby the last time I saw her," Spencer hurriedly answered. "Text her," she said when Aria couldn't reach Emily. But still there was no answer from Emily and it made them more anxious, even Bianca too.

"Well why couldn't you keep a better eye on her?" Bianca snapped.

"Are you kidding me?" Hanna shot back, "B, You've been dissing at us the moment you arrived. You even flirted with Toby!"

Bianca rolled her eyes and retorted, "I was just trying to help Emily out. You were literally showing him that you're afraid of him!"

"Enough of that," Spencer quickly cut their argument before they went astray, "we have to find her, come on!"

They quickly ran out of the auditorium, desperately wanting to find Emily before she got hurt or anything. The real killer or not, the file showed that Toby was dangerous to them and they had just let their friend go off with him alone. Their thought was focused only on Emily's safety that none of them realized that Jenna was there standing behind one of the mirror, listening to their whole conversation.

* * *

"You girls should go home," Mrs. Fields said when she saw her daughter's close friends were still in the waiting room. "She's fine and she really needs to rest tonight so she cannot receive any visitor."

They glanced at each other nervously before Spencer speaking up. "Are you sure, Mrs. Fields? We can take turns to watch her with you," she said, offering to help. With Emily's father was still on a tour, maybe her mother might need all help she could get.

Mrs. Fields shook her head, "I'll be fine. They're going to keep Emily here for a night and there are nurses around to help. All of you must be really tired from all the dancing. You should change back and get some rest, okay? You can come to our house tomorrow," she added after seeing the girls were about to protest again. "Good night, girls," she said walking back to the room where Emily rested.

It was close call. They were really freaked out when they couldn't find Emily earlier and then when Aria tried to call her phone only to find it discarded on the floor near the chemistry lab, they had thought the worst had happened to their friends. Especially after seeing how wrecked chemistry lab was and bloods Hanna found on the floor, which clearly wasn't there before the homecoming started. But they had searched every room and crooks in the school and it was as if their friend was disappeared. None of them had any idea what to do next or where to start to look for Emily. For all they knew, Toby could have killed her already and buried her somewhere they wouldn't know. He might get away with it as well because the only evidence they had linking him and Alison was obtained illegally and they could get into trouble if someone found out about it.

Until Aria's phone rang and they found out from Emily's mother that she got a call from the hospital saying that Emily was there and wanted to know if the girls knew anything about it. Sighing in relief that Emily was still alive but nervous to know that she was hurt, the girls then decided to come to the hospital to check on her. And now there they were in the waiting room, waiting for update about Emily but her mother decided that they should get some rest instead.

None of them realized how tired and aching their feet were when Mrs. Fields commented. The whole running around in those stilettos didn't enter their mind as the adrenaline kept them going on, but now that it ran off, they couldn't help but agreed that they really needed to rest. And Emily should be fine tomorrow and she only had minor injury, which they were really thankful for. They had something to make sure that Toby wouldn't do anything to them anymore.

"I'll get the car around," Noel said quietly, squeezing Bianca's shoulder, before going out to the parking lot when Bianca nodded.

Spencer waited until Noel was out of their earshot before turning to her best friend. "You're getting closer to him," she commented.

Bianca sighed, knowing what Spencer tried to find out. "I'll tell you everything tomorrow, Spence," she said, "can we just leave it like that?" Bianca watched as her best friend struggled between still pestering her or not. She sighed in relief when Spencer decided not to say anything. "Anyone needs a ride? Hanna?"

"No, it's okay. I'll catch a ride with Spencer. You go enjoy your night with Noel," Hanna teased.

"Aria?"

"My mum is coming to pick me up."

Bianca nodded and walked away from the waiting room but not before sparing a glance towards where Emily's room located. Telling herself that Emily had people watching over her and Toby or Jenna weren't that stupid to do anything under many watchful eyes, Bianca then could bring herself walking towards the exit. She couldn't wait to come home and soaked herself in a bath after this. Her whole body was aching both from running and emotional roller coaster she experienced the whole night.

But then a loud ringing tone caught her attention. And it wasn't because of the volume or the fact that it seemed to be a quiet hallway she was walking through that scared her. No, it was because it came from inside her clutch. And Bianca definitely knew it wasn't _her _ringtone nor was it Noel's, if by some weird coincidence thing that Noel put his phone on her clutch.

Frowning, Bianca checked inside her clutch and found the ringing phone that definitely didn't belong to her. It was a phone that anyone could buy in stores like Walmart without needing to register their name on it. Definitely not a phone anyone in Rosewood would have. Bianca immediately rejected the call so she could find out who the phone belonged to because her own phone was in the clutch too. But a few seconds later, before she could even do anything, the phone rang again and showed the same blocked caller ID on the screen. Hesitantly Bianca then decided to take the call, feeling that the caller would keep trying to call and it would be easier to find out who the owner anyway.

"Hello?" she cautiously said. Her eyes widened in shock immediately after hearing the first word her caller said. She knew that voice! When her caller repeated her names few times impatiently, Bianca finally regained herself and scowled, resuming her walk. "Of course it's you. How am I not surprised?" She rolled her eyes listening to her caller. It could be seen from her frown and the way she gripped tight the phone that Bianca didn't really like what her caller said to her.

"Fine," Bianca reluctantly said few moments later, pursing her lips, "what do you want?"

* * *

_Whew, this is a long one._

_I'm so sorry that this chapter is way later than usual! I'm moving out of my apartment so there are lots of stuffs to do and I didn't have time to get this one done in a week. There were too many jumbled scenes that got away because of this moving in/out thing. So fair warning, the next few chapters after this will also might take a bit longer time to write until I settle in my new home. I already got the general plot planned out and all but yeah, it's the detail thing that will take a bit long to finish. Especially with the messed up timelines that made my head aching really bad trying to make sense of it. Sorry :(_

_But as always thank you so much for the reviews, favorites, and follows! I hope you enjoyed this one, especially the reunion between Jason and Bianca. Is it like what you expected? Any guesses who called Bianca in the end? I hope you all still on board with me. Till next one! :D_


	7. Never A Peaceful Day in Rosewood

**_Never A Peaceful Day In Rosewood_**

When Bianca came to visit Emily the next morning, there were two police cars parked in front of Emily's house and Mrs. Fields just opened the door to talk to an officer. She glanced at the Cavanaugh's house, trying to see any life sign from that house. But that house looked really empty and the curtains were shut tight. Not that she could do anything with the police all over the street now. So Bianca turned and approached Mrs. Fields and the officers. "Morning infusion for the invalid?" she asked, grinning as she raised the four cup holders on one of her hands.

Mrs. Fields smiled and nodded, "don't take too long, okay? Spencer and Aria are inside already. Tell them that too."

Her smile faltered slightly before she nodded, "of course, Mrs. Fields."

Bianca didn't think Spencer and Aria would be in the house already. She thought she could talk to Emily first, apologizing for encouraging her to be alone with Toby instead, before facing the others. Especially Spencer. When Bianca remembered every moment last night, she knew she screwed up most with her best friend. She had promised to make sure Alex wouldn't feel left out and he wouldn't have second thought to date her. But instead she kept ridiculing him for being left alone and that Spencer wouldn't even realized he was gone that night. Bianca sighed when she walked up the stairs and could hear hushed voices of Spencer and Aria talking about the file they had about Toby.

She took a deep breath. Maybe it would come out better and everything would be solved faster if she faced all of them at once instead. "Hey," Bianca knocked on the door and poked her head in, shocking the others in the room. "Um, peace offering?" she asked, motioning at the coffee cups in her hand, silently thankful that none of them had coffee cup already or it would be too awkward for her.

Spencer was the first one to recover from the shock. "If we receive it, will you stop scaring us out?" she asked, rather irritably.

Bianca flinched and came in, closing the door. "...sorry but you really shouldn't let the door opened if you're having serious conversation," she said, giving them pointed look that she could hear what they had been talking before coming in.

Spencer stared at the four cups Bianca held with her hand before grabbing one with her initials, "I feel we should've asked for more but it'll do," she sighed in satisfaction when the warmth from her cup transferred to her hand. "You always had a problem with your temper anyway. I should've gotten used to your mood swing by now."

Had her hand not occupied with the coffee cups, Bianca would do more than just pouting at her best friend. She offered the cup next to Aria who took longer time to convince that the coffee was real and Bianca didn't do anything to it. Since Hanna still hadn't arrived yet, she put her cup on Emily's dresser and walked over to her bed. "How are you feeling?" Bianca asked quietly, offering the hot chocolate she ordered for Emily.

"I'm fine." Emily said, taking the cup with her injury free hand. "It's not your fault, Bianca," she added seeing the guilty look on her friend when Bianca glanced over to her bandaged head and wrist brace she had on her right hand. "I'm the one who wanted to come with him."

"But I basically shipped you off with him last night."

Emily shrugged her shoulder. "You didn't know," she said, and nor did she. When Toby had started small talks with her, Emily thought Toby was really suffering from what they had done that night and really wanted to leave it all in the past. That he didn't come back just to get revenge on them. She thought her friends were just paranoid and Toby wasn't either A or helping Jenna to become A. And for God sake, he saved her from Ben that day in the locker. How could she not start to trust him after that?

"What did you tell the police then?" Bianca asked. "I saw Officer Barry trying to get your mother to let them talk to you when I came in."

"Um, I told them that when I went out for air, I tripped." Emily answered truthfully, watching her friends exchanged confused look with each other.

"Why didn't you just tell them the truth?" Aria asked incredulously, voicing out their confusion. They had thought that even though they couldn't tell the police Toby's connection to Alison, at least Emily's story could back their story stronger.

Emily sighed, "I was waiting to talk to you guys first."

"Are you joking?" Bianca exclaimed, staring at her friend in disbelief, "why on earth would you want to wait for us? Toby could be halfway across the country by now."

"I thought you don't believe Toby is A," Emily pointed out.

"I don't care if Toby is A or not. He hurt you, so I'm not going to let him off that easily," Bianca said with a huff. She then glanced at Emily who still looked troubled, "you have to tell them the whole truth. Make it seems worse than it actually is if you can."

Aria rolled her eyes, "not the whole truth." Then she turned towards Emily, "you have to leave out the file."

Before any of them could reply, someone tried to open the door but Bianca had locked it earlier. Quickly Spencer opened the door, fearing it was Mrs. Fields, but it turned out to be Hanna who had slight panicked expression on her face. She immediately came into the room, "who knew Rosewood has this many cops?" she exasperatedly said, taking out the file, "I went to put this back and they're already at the doctor's office talking to Toby's shrink. Now they knew it's totally stolen."

Emily straightened up seeing the infamous file her friends had informed her about earlier. "Can I see that?"

Hanna nodded and put the file on the pillow on her lap. "If anyone saw me walking into that building last night, I'm so hosed," she said. It was then that she noticed Bianca's presence in the bed beside Emily and froze. She didn't expect the red haired girl to be there as well. "Oh hey B," Hanna greeted hesitantly, still remembering last night when Bianca ridiculed Alex and Mona in front of their date and also pushing Aria to dance with random boy she grabbed.

It was a brilliant idea actually, but still... their usual Bianca would do it in a bit more subtler way than last night.

"Hey, I brought you coffee. It's on the dresser," Bianca said, nodding towards the lone coffee cup behind Spencer.

"Oh thanks," Hanna turned to grab the coffee and raised her eyebrows at Spencer who just shrugged her shoulder in response. So Hanna turned back to Bianca and asked bluntly, "so what is it with you last night?" But then she felt a painful pinch on her side and turned to see Spencer glared at her. "What?" Hanna said defensively, "we all wanted to know so why don't just ask her?"

"Wow, ever heard of subtlety, Han?" Spencer commented dryly.

Hanna impatiently waved her hand at Spencer so she could shut up and let Bianca explained what was going on with her last night. Bianca glanced around the room to find that they seemed to be curious, including Emily who abandoned Toby's file for the sake of listening to her. She sighed, "can't we just talk about it later?" But then seeing adamant looks, especially on Hanna's and Spencer's, Bianca knew her protest would fall to deaf ear.

"Jason came to my house yesterday," she muttered so lowly that had the others not seen her lips moving and craned their neck towards her, they wouldn't be able to hear it.

They exchanged frowns hearing Bianca. If what she had said was true, then she shouldn't have that expression to follow. She shouldn't even be with Noel or even on foul mood last night. But then Spencer remembered what Bianca admitted to her few days ago in the football field. Knowing Mrs. Lexington wouldn't miss the opportunity to see Bianca all dressed up, she must be in the house as well last night, at the same with Jason coming over.

Bianca noticed the confused look from everyone aside from Spencer and sighed. She bowed her head, trying not to replay the whole argument in her mind again. "We got into an argument and I left with Noel instead."

"Why would you do that? I thought you really wanted to see Jason."

Spencer held back the urge to slap Hanna on the back of her head for her offhand question. She was really tempted to but then Spencer remembered she must be the only one knew about what Mrs. Lexington did this past year. Bianca always struggled to let out her real feeling to anyone and used her temper as her defense mechanism. Only her family, Spencer, and Jason were the ones who could draw Bianca out of her wall.

Bianca only smiled sadly at Hanna. "So yeah, you know the rest after that," she muttered.

"Wait, so you basically off Alex and Mona and then flirted with Mr. Fitz and kissed Noel last night just because you got argument with Jason? Wow." Hanna stared at her friend incredulously then turned to Spencer. "What did she wreck when Jason left her?"

Both Bianca and Spencer stiffened hearing Hanna's question, remembering the first month after the Dilaurentis left Rosewood in the middle of the night. Neither of them were delighted to have that memory back again. Spencer glanced at Bianca who refused to look at either her or Hanna. "Some of this and that, nothing serious," she answered offhandedly. "Wait, you flirted with Mr Fitz?" Spencer turned to Bianca. She hadn't heard anything of that from last night. "How did that happen?"

Bianca grinned sheepishly, "on the bean bag toss stand. And it's flirted at. Mr. Fitz was too stiff to flirt back. So not fun."

"After she had this make out session with Noel on the stand, I heard," Hanna added, grinning as she nudged the red haired girl. "So you're dating Noel now?"

"No," Bianca rolled her eyes, "he was just boasting he could win the game so I distract him."

"By kissing him?" Emily asked, amused when her friend blushed in the same shade of red with her hair.

"Something like that," Bianca mumbled. "It was a good idea at that time, okay?" she said defensively from the knowing smirks from her friends. "Oh shut up," she huffed when their expression remained unchanged.

Then suddenly Aria's phone beeped out, startling them and cutting their conversation short. Aria glanced up from her phone to see anxious look from her friends. "It's from my mum. Ask your father if he plans to take the car in this week. My parents have gone from not talking to not texting," she said scowling, "This sucks. I better go home."

"We should probably go too," Bianca said, "your mother told me that we should leave you to rest."

Spencer nodded in agreement and took her coffee cup but Hanna groaned. "Uh no, I just got here," but her protest fell to deaf ears since three of them already grabbed their bag and ready to leave the house. "Hey, what do I do with that file?"

"Just put it on your locker tomorrow," Aria answered, "we'll figure it out later."

"Or just give it to me later after Emily finished reading it," Bianca added, seeing the dubious look on Hanna's face, "I'll dispose it or something and make sure they won't trace it to you."

"Yeah, I like B's plan better." Hanna decided, "I'll see you later then."

Mrs. Fields was still talking to the police in front of the house when they went down. It seemed the police still didn't believe what Emily had said and pestered Mrs. Fields to let them talk to Emily. But at least Mrs. Fields was very adamant for not letting them in, insisting that Emily needed her rest. The girls exchanged worried look before scurrying away from the house before the police decided to talk to them too. All they could hope was that Hanna could sneak the file out again later.

"Well, I'm going to the club now to meet Alex," Spencer said once they reached her car, "talk to you later, B?"

Bianca nodded, "um, do you want me to come with you and talk to Alex? I dissed him quite hard last night..." She winched remembering the exact words she had said to him and Bianca felt it was part of her fault that Spencer kind of ditched Alex last night as well.

"No, not now." Spencer answered, "I want to fix it first. Then you can apologize to him as much as you want. See ya!" she waved slightly before going into her car and driving towards the tennis club, full of determination to make her relationship with Alex back to normal again.

Then Bianca glanced to Aria who was still busy with her phone, "do you want me to drop you off somewhere?"

"No," Aria answered shortly.

Bianca frowned, "it's better than if you walk back to your house or something."

"I don't need your help, Bianca," Aria suddenly snapped, raising her head to stare right to the other girl. "Not now and certainly not last night either."

Clearly Aria still didn't forgive her for pushing a random boy to dance with her last night. "I said I was sorry already," Bianca said, rather irritably, "it's not like you didn't have quite a good time with him. I saw you were having nice talk with him."

"Yeah well somebody had to, after what you did," Aria retorted back. Then her phone beeped again and she glanced down to check on it, sighing as she read the text. "I seriously can't do this conversation right now," she said, "I have to go."

Bianca sighed watching Aria turned around and walked away from her. Of course things wouldn't sail smoothly again just because she finally calmed down. She shouldn't be surprised or even hurt that Aria still didn't forgive her completely for last night. A loud ring from her phone startled her and Bianca quickly checked it, in case it was her parents. But it wasn't either of them calling. It was Jason. Her finger hovered over the green symbol on the screen but then in the last second, Bianca decided to reject his call. She was about to put back her phone when it beeped again.

**Jason:**_ Are you awake yet? I still want to talk._

Reading his text only made her mind more conflicted. She thought she had resolved her feeling over the night, but apparently she was wrong. Bianca really wanted to answer him, to tell him that she was ready to meet him again, but there was this part of her mind refusing to order her hand to start typing her reply. And she found that it was hard to fight that part away. After all, Jason had made her waited for a year before she could finally meet him again. There was no harm if she held back and let him tasted his own medicine for a while.

So in the end Bianca put her phone back to her bag and walked to her car few feet away from her, ignoring how heavy her bag suddenly was in her shoulder.

* * *

Her phone beeped again when she was back in her room, lying on her bed while reading the chapter for tomorrow's classes. Bianca half hoped it was Spencer finally returning back from the tennis club. Judging that she had gone for half day already, Bianca was definitely sure that things had gone better between Spencer and Alex now. Bianca sighed when she saw it was from Jason. Again. She now had received more texts from him today than she had for the past year and still all she could do was just leaving it sitting in her inbox.

Until now Bianca was still conflicted on what she should do with Jason. After finding out why Jason didn't contact her for a whole year, knowing what prompted her mother to do so, she felt she betrayed her mother's wish just by reading his text. Even if her parents didn't exactly the one driving Jason out of the house last night. It was all her own doing. She chose not to forgive Jason on the spot, or to welcome him back to her life. In spur of moment, she chose to still be angry at him, for following her parents' wishes instead of hers. It was always her default reaction whenever someone caught her off guard and she always regretted it in the end.

And she really did. This morning all Bianca could think of was to immediately called Jason back and apologized to him, begged him to come back if she needed to. But then she went down for breakfast and her parents seemed to pointedly ignore the fact that Jason was standing in their foyer last night and instead asking all question about Noel and how Emily was doing. And it reminded her again why her mother decided to make Jason leave without goodbye a year ago.

Now Bianca was torn between following what her parents wanted or what her heart told her to. She never, ever, disagreed with her mother before in her life... until this problem arose. Because after seeing him again last night, Bianca then realized that she still wanted Jason. That her feeling for him hadn't washed out like she thought it had after a year. Her heart was still aching more for him after she left last night. And her body seemed to keep screaming for his touch again, needing more than just fleeting touches she received last night.

Even after she kissed Noel last night, all Bianca could think of was how she missed kissing Jason, being in his embrace. To be one with him again. She wanted nothing more than to relieve all their good memories again and wipe away the nightmare she had of him over a year. But every time she started missing him, she kept being reminded of her parents and what they had done for her this past year. Bianca sighed, drawing her knees closer to her chest, and leaned down her head to her knees.

Since when everything had to be this complicated in her life?

"So _this_ is the infamous bedroom."

Bianca startled and looked up from her phone to find Noel leaning on her doorway with a smirk. Her eyes narrowed since she didn't remember asking him to come by her house today. "What are you doing here?" she asked, eyeing him suspiciously. "How did you get inside?"

"What? Can't I check up on my new bestie with benefit?" Noel asked back defensively. "You looked out of sort last night so it's my responsibility to check on my date," he said with a cheeky grin when Bianca only rolled her eyes at him and walked into her room. "Your housekeeper let me in."

She pursed her lips at his last sentence, not liking how easily her housekeeper let anyone in and even pointed her room's direction. "What are you doing?" Bianca asked when Noel didn't sit down and instead standing in front of her bed, in the middle of the room, looking around him.

He glanced, grinning at her, "this is my first time here. Of course I'm going to memorize every single thing you have in this room."

"You're creepy. Has anyone ever told you that?" Bianca shot, throwing one of her pillows at him who caught it easily. She scowled when Noel made an exaggeration of hugging her pillow tight before throwing it back next to her. "And you're not my bestie in benefit. We're not having any benefit at all and you're not really my _bestie_."

"Really?" Noel raised his eyebrow, "after what you did last night, I have to disagree with you."

Of course he would read too much on their kiss last night. Why would she be surprised to hear it? Bianca had expected better of him since it was considered normal occurrence for Noel Kahn and he would just let it passed away without much thought. But then again, since when everything would go as she wanted? The scowl still plastered in her face as she watched Noel finally left his spot and then sat on the end of her bed. Bianca bristled when he lifted his left leg and rested it on her bed, completed with his sneaker. "There's an arm chair in the corner or bench behind you," she pointed out.

"That's too far. I'm not shouting just to talk to you. It's too tiresome."

"Well my sheet is now dirty because of your sneaker," Bianca said irritably. "Just say what you want and get out of here, Kahn."

"So moody. Here I thought you already got rid your temper from last night," Noel teased but then he saw Bianca heightened her glare at him and sighed, raising his hand briefly in surrender. "So?"

"What?" Bianca snapped back.

"Ready to talk what was going on last night when I came? I was ready to be ditched for your ex but instead you left him in your foyer."

The first reaction that came to her mind was to snap at him for poking into her private business but then Bianca remembered how Noel stayed faithfully by her side. He was there for her these last few days and didn't protest at all when she used him to escape from her friends. He let her vented off her angers at him and didn't complain when she randomly called him to pick her up. Honestly Bianca kept seeing this different side of Noel Kahn that not everyone knew of and she was quite grateful for it.

"Or maybe you prefer me over him now?" He raised his eyebrow suggestively with a smirk, "not that I complain."

Her temple twitched immediately and Bianca launched another pillow at him, which he evaded easily and let it fell to floor behind him. Just when she was about compliment him for being nice and patient with her, he just had to open his stupid mouth and ruin everything. "I miss the time when we're not talking more than a sentence to each other," Bianca said, huffing at him.

Noel then mocked a loud gasp sound and clutched his chest with fake outraged expression, "after what I've let you do to me?"

"Stop making it sound like I'm doing unspeakable to you!"

Before Noel could come up with another retort, Bianca's phone beeped again. She quickly reached out for her discarded phone in between them but Noel was quicker and he managed to grab the phone before her. "Noel, give it back!" Bianca shouted, jumping on him as she tried to snatch her phone away from him. If it was another text from A, she could be in real trouble either from A or Noel. There was no way Noel would leave without demanding explanation of it. But Noel's hand was longer than her and Bianca was having trouble trying to evade his free hand to get to her phone. "Seriously Noel, give me my phone!" she ordered.

But the way she suddenly panicked when he grabbed her phone first was too fishy for him and it only made him more curious on who texted her. At first he took it because he just wanted to tease her a bit and returned her phone few minutes later but now he just had to see that text. He easily maneuvered his hand so that he could read the screen without Bianca could snatch it away from him before he finished. His eyebrow raised when he saw the sender and to Bianca's horror, he punched in the pass lock of her phone.

"Damn it, Noel! Stop reading my text! Who is it from? Give it to me!"

How surprised Bianca was when few seconds later, Noel just flung the phone to her hand without words. Perturbed by his pensive expression, Bianca quickly checked her latest text while silently hoping it wasn't from A. Even if it was from A, she desperately hoped it wasn't about Noel. Her mind froze when it was worse than she thought. Jason texted her again.

"He seemed really desperate if he keep texting you," Noel spoke up, causing Bianca to look up to him. "Care to tell me why you didn't reply?"

"Might it occur to you that I don't want to talk to him anymore?" Bianca snapped back, "and don't ever read my text again."

"Really? After how you're crying yourself to sleep that day?" Noel countered back. "Thought so," he added when he saw her instantly stiffened. After he stopped her from butchering the tree more, he took her back to his house where she ended up falling asleep from exhaustion. That was when he realized how vulnerable she could be if something personal hit her hard. This was a side of Bianca he would never see had he not be the one who almost hit her. Even though he knew it was wrong thing to do, but at that time Noel was really glad he almost hit her with his car. It gave him chance to get closer to her, a chance that he couldn't get ever since Jason Dilaurentis threatened him that day. "What happened last night, Bianca?"

"Nothing!" she answered curtly, throwing her face away from him, but then her shoulder slacked down and her irate expression disappeared. "...nothing happened last night," she muttered.

Noel watched as her shoulder slightly shook and then he went closer and sat in front of her. She still had her face away from him that he raised his hand to touch her chin and gently turned her head to him. He ran his thumb across her cheek, wiping away her tear stains. When Bianca then shifted her stare up to him and their eyes met, unconsciously his thumb moved slightly down and trace her bottom lips. His eyes flickered down to her parted lips and then Noel leaned forward, ready to close the distance between them.

When she felt a warm hand on her chin, Bianca didn't expect to see Noel was capable of giving affectionate gaze at her. The last boy who ever did that to her before was Jason and she always loved seeing that gaze from her. So when his thumb grazed over her lips and his eyes darted down, Bianca held her breath and waited in anticipation as Noel leaned towards her. Her eyes fluttered half close, preparing for the kiss. But Noel abruptly stopped when their lips only an inch apart. "You should text him back," he suddenly spoke up.

Bianca blinked repeatedly. At first she didn't understand what he was talking about but then it sank into her mind he was referring about Jason's unanswered texts. She slightly leaned back and stared at him in disbelief, not expecting him to say that. Not when they almost kissed few seconds earlier. "Why are you doing this?" she blurted the one thing that had circled around in her mind ever since he approached her in the first party of the year.

"Doing what?"

"This," Bianca gestured between them. "We never really spoke before, Kahn, not more than a sentence or two, and suddenly you swoop into my life and being all nice to me. Why now?"

"I told you. I actually had a crush on you long time ago."

"And you told me Jason scared you off before you even got to talk to me, I know that." Bianca cut him, "but you know Jason left me a month after Alison missing. It was hardly a secret we were dating. _Everyone _suspected it, at least. Why didn't you do anything that time? Why a year later?"

"You mean why didn't I flirt with you right after your best friend missing and your boyfriend left?" Noel asked back, raising his eyebrow. "You were hardly there, Bianca. You came to school, you talked to people, but your attention was somewhere else. The only time I saw you showed emotion was when you're with Spencer."

Her mouth slightly gaped as her mind processed his confession. Bianca was really stunned- she never thought Noel Kahn, of all people, would actually pay attention to her, watching her while waiting for opportunity to talk to her. And somehow she felt flattered and a bit annoyed at herself. Had she not been too preoccupied with Jason, she would have noticed him. If Noel acted like what he was now, she would have moved on easier and earlier. And when Jason came back, she would not be struggling over her emotion right now.

When she saw Noel raising his hand, Bianca stiffened in reflex. Her eyes followed his hand's movement warily and widened when his hand moved to take her phone and place it on her hand. Bianca looked up back to him at once, startled with his gesture.

"You really should stop being stubborn and just call him," Noel said softly, "I know you want to."

Bianca looked down to her phone. Hearing Noel speaking out exactly what she wanted to hear made her really wanted to call Jason. He was right─ she really wanted to talk to Jason, to hear his voice again. But... even with his persuasion, Bianca still couldn't bring herself to make a call to Jason. So instead Bianca put her phone away under the pillow.

"Please, don't be shy on my accord." Noel spoke out then he smirked, "it's not my first time hearing phone sex."

Bianca rolled her eyes and smacked him with her pillow. "Stop it," she huffed, "I'm not in the mood for a joke."

"I'm not joking." But he immediately cowered away when she raised her pillow again threateningly. "Okay, okay," he quickly said before he got another hit. He sighed in relief when Bianca lowered down her hand and put away her pillow. "So, you're really not calling him?"

"Not right now," Bianca said after a moment of struggling to decide. "I just... I need time." She then narrowed her eyes, "you still haven't told me. Why you're being nice to me," she added. "I'm still struggling with my feeling to Jason and you're telling me to contact him instead. That's not what boys do. You know I'm using you as a distraction, from Spencer, from my parents, from Jason." When he didn't say anything to deny it, Bianca sighed. "Seriously Noel, why are you still with me? You're not exactly the nice guy kind of type in the story and neither is Jason."

"Maybe I like being used as distraction," he finally answered, shrugging his shoulder uncaring, until he saw she still had dubious look on her face. "Relax, Lexington," he drawled. "I don't have any hidden agenda with you. I'm not going to ask you to choose me over him or anything."

And somehow Bianca trusted with what he said. The only people whom she could trusted wholeheartedly were her parents, Jason, and Spencer, regardless the fact that all of them did something hurtful to her. She never really trusted Alison before, even with her promise to keep the secret safe, nor did she trust the other girls. But Noel... She became close to him in a span of less than a month and Bianca could feel she could trust him with anything. "Okay," she then said. "Then I'm glad you came to me that night, Kahn."

"Trust me, it's all my pleasure," he said, winking.

Bianca snorted in amusement, "you're one weird crazy boy, Noel Kahn."

"Meh, I've been called worse," he said, jumping off the bed. "Practice time. I'll pick you up tomorrow?" When she smiled and nodded, Noel turned around to leave but his eyes then caught something on her study desk. "Since when you got two phones?" he asked, approaching the table to take the phone and inspect it. "A prepaid phone?"

"I thought that was yours," she quickly answered, "it was in my clutch yesterday and you were the only one who ever held it beside me."

Noel shrugged his shoulder, "I never used a prepaid."

"Nor did I. Well, I'll just turn it to the committee or something. Don't worry about it, have fun in practice."

He still eyed the phone warily but hearing her insistence, he then decided to leave it be. Noel glanced back and was about to give the final one liner of the day when he noticed Bianca already took out her real phone out of under the pillow and stared at it with thoughtful look. It was as if she was back absorbed into her little world. He noticed she always did that whenever she was thinking of Jason Dilaurentis and no one aside from Spencer could bring her out of that world. So Noel silently went out of her room instead. As expected, Bianca didn't call out for him or came after him when he left. She probably didn't even noticed he was gone already, too caught up with her thought of Jason. Bitterly Noel went back into his car where he slammed his hand on the steering wheel angrily afterward.

This was not how he wanted their conversation to end. After the 'distraction' kiss which turned into a full blown make out session last night, all he could think of was how he needed to kiss her again. There was no way he could forget how her body pressed against his, how her leg just felt natural wrapped around his waist, and don't get him started with her tongue. That little handiwork she did with her tongue almost made him forgot where they were last night. He came to her, hoping that it was not just in his head.

He lied when he said he had no hidden agenda coming to her, that he wouldn't ask her to choose him instead. Because that was exactly what he prepared to do when he rang her doorbell earlier. He was ready to fight nail and tooth with Jason Dilaurentis if needed. That older boy didn't scare him any more. He had his chance already and Noel believed it was his turn. But one look at how tormented Bianca was about last night and his resolution crumbled. Instead of giving out speech how she would be better with him, he told her to call her ex. Noel looked up to the second floor where her room located. Now doubt she was calling him right now, Noel thought bitterly.

Bianca was right. He was hardly the nice guy in their story because right now he really hoped Jason crushed her heart all over again so he could be the one who picked up the pieces.

* * *

"So? Are you really not going to call him back then?"

Bianca could only shrug her shoulder in response. She didn't know the answer then when Noel asked her earlier and she certainly still didn't know the answer now, even though she was also getting frustrated over her own indecision.

"Really?" Spencer stared at her dubiously, "after agonizing over him the whole year, you suddenly change your mind _now_?"

Spencer finally came by her house late afternoon and judging from the huge grin plastered in her face permanently, Bianca could easily figure out how was her visit to the club ended. She was really glad that Alex forgave her best friend for basically ditching him last night. At least one relationship could be salvaged. But still, hearing how easy it was for Spencer to reconcile with Alex made Bianca couldn't help but feeling quite jealous and envy. She had dated Jason longer and definitely had gone through more than them, yet she still had trouble to just called him. Compared to Spencer who just knew Alex for few weeks now, Bianca should have easier time to reconcile with Jason. It wasn't fair how one was granted an easy, innocent relationship while the other had to struggle throughout the time.

"Yes, no, maybe. I _don't_ know, Spence!" Bianca exclaimed exasperatedly. "I really want to call him but it's like something keep nagging my mind not to do it! My problem is way more complicated than yours, okay? I can't just punch the call and then everything's all better. I'm not like that─ we're never like that!" She massaged her temple irritably, unable to explain her own feeling right now to Spencer. "Jason and I always had trouble making up after fighting. _Every single time _we tried to apologize to each other, we always got into another argument."_  
_

Spencer frowned, "you never told me that."

Bianca rolled her eyes at how dense Spencer could be sometimes. Of course she wouldn't tell her that. Why would she? She was already depressed with Jason leaving her without goodbye or explanation. The last thing she needed was to reminiscence about how rocky her relationship with Jason was. How easy Alison could sneak in between them and caused heated argument about her friendship with the blonde Queen Bee. Or how she felt sometimes Jason rather spending time in his room to get high with his friends instead of spending time with her and he always pissed off whenever she brought that up. Or how insecure she was whenever there were girls she never knew coming to Jason and being very friendly with him. Of course Bianca would try to bury those memories away and instead keep remembering the good time with Jason. She didn't need to be reminded of how fragile their relationship was, that there were other things that could break them apart had Alison not disappeared.

"I can't stand it anymore!"

Both of them startled when Bianca's bedroom door suddenly flung open and Hanna's voice boomed in the room. The blonde haired girl stormed into the room, holding Toby's file tight in her hand. She then thrust it roughly towards Bianca. "That thing is _not _going to be around me another second!"

"Would you relax? I'll send it back to the police tomorrow! Or right now, if it's better," Spencer hurriedly added when she received another glare from Hanna.

"Hell no! I'm not going to have it traced back to me!" Hanna scoffed then turned to Bianca who still stared at her, bewildered, "do something with it, B! Burn it or something!"

Now Bianca jumped into her feet as well. A panicked Hanna was never a good thing. "Whoa! Calm down, okay," Bianca said, "there's no need to escalate it that quick. We can think of another way but we can't burn it, Hanna. It's evidence," she pointed out, "against Toby."

"I _don't _care! I want it gone, now!" Hanna shrieked, completely deaf to their effort to calm her down.

Before they could say anything, Aria hurriedly came into the room holding car key. "Oh my God, please tell me she hadn't burnt the file yet," she said with dreaded expression. When Bianca raised the file on her hand, Aria immediately sighed in relief, knowing she made it in time. When Hanna texted her that she was going to Bianca's to burn the file, Aria was really panicked and quickly ran out of the house, ignoring her parents' startled shouts.

"Ugh, don't you have a lighter somewhere in this room?" Hanna grumbled as she rummaged through every drawer or storage she could find in the room. "Oh never mind, I'll get it from the kitchen!"

"Hey hey hey! There is no burning things in _my _house, okay?!"

Aria grabbed Hanna's hand when she was about to leave the room. "Can we at least talk about this?" she pleaded.

"No!" Hanna shouted back, "I don't want this in my house! I don't want this in my locker!"

Spencer groaned exasperatedly, "I told you I will mail it to the police! They won't trace it back to you. _I'm _the one who will lick the envelope, okay?"

"I'm the one who works in that building!" Hanna quickly grabbed the file from Bianca's hand and quickly exited the room, running down the stairs.

The others immediately ran after her. If the file was gone, then they lost the only evidence that could point Toby as Alison's murderer. And if the police didn't have enough evidence, they could do nothing but to let Toby free, which meant A won. And worse, the police would thought them to be over paranoid and wouldn't charge Toby for attempting to attack Emily last night. Aria managed to tore the file away from Hanna before she could burn it with the lighter she just found. Bianca stared at her friend in disbelief at how quick Hanna found that lighter in her kitchen when Hanna rarely spent time in her house anymore.

"Give it back!"

"Hanna, calm down, okay! That file is a prove that he _might _be Alison's killer!" Bianca said firmly, trying to get her attention. "It also can prove that he really attacks Emily last night!"

"And they can prove that I broke into his shrink's office, B. I really can't afford to take any more field trips to the precinct, okay?" Hanna bit her lips before hesitantly continued, this time her voice quite calmer, "I'm pretty sure after three strikes, you're assigned to the prison laundry room."

Her friends exchanged bewildered look, not following what she was trying to say. "Hanna, what strikes?" Aria asked confused, "you were just trying to save your friend."

Hanna sighed, her shoulder slumped down. "Look, I have already gotten busted for stealing sunglasses and my boyfriend's car."

"Sunglasses?" Bianca stared at her friend in disbelief, "seriously?"

"From who?" Spencer asked, still confused as she never heard of this story before. Judging from the other's expressions, they never heard of it either.

Hanna rolled her eyes, "not from a person. From a store. God, I have some class."

"Of course you do. That's why you stole it," Bianca mumbled, earning a sharp jab on her side from Spencer.

"Wait," Aria spoke up, still looking bewildered, "are you talking about those.. the Gucci ones with the gold─"

"Hey, focus, guys!" Spencer cut it quickly, grabbing the file away from Hanna's reach. The last thing they wanted was a topic distraction when there was more urgent thing to discuss. "Toby could be a killer, okay. We can't make the same mistake over and over again, okay?"

"We?"

"Hey!" Bianca quickly protested, "I have nothing to do with Jenna─"

"Yes, we!" Spencer exclaimed, shooting her best friend a murderous glare. She was trying to make point to Hanna. The last thing she needed was for Bianca to show that she could be selfish and let them take the fall if she wanted to. "We're in this together, okay? We're all being stalked by A. And if he's run off─"

"We still don't know that he's A," Bianca pointed out. "He _might _be A. That's still not a hard proof that─"

"B, shut up!" Spencer snapped. She had had enough for Bianca trying to contradict her every single time. Couldn't she see how dangerous their current situation was? "Have you gotten one single text since last night? The devil has a name and it's Toby!" But then Hanna grabbed the file before she could react and was about to lit the lighter up again. This time Spencer grabbed the lighter instead and threw it to as far away from them, ignoring Bianca's protest. "_Why _are you being so pig headed?"

Hanna stared at her friend incredulously. "Why?" she repeated Spencer's question. "Because I don't have a big, fat safety net to catch me. Not all of us have a daddy who can write a check to make the boogeyman go away!"

"What are you talking about?!"

"Spencer, you get caught stealing an essay and your parents let you take a picture for the newspaper. _I _get caught stealing an accessory and I have to lug around medical waste!"

All the shouting and accusing didn't go really well with the ongoing battle in her mind and made Bianca snapped and grabbed the file away from Spencer. "Okay, that's it!" she said loudly, distracting her friends from arguing with each other. Bianca quickly turned around and stalked towards her dad's office where he had the paper shredder installed. Without any more words or waiting the others so she could avoid argument and such, she immediately put the file through the slit and let the machine shredded them.

"Oh my God, what did you do, B?!"

Bianca turned around, looking rather brightened up now that the object of their argument was gone. "Taking care of it. We never saw the file. We definitely don't know it even exist. All done," she answered simply. "Now, who wants some drinks?"

"You _shred _them?"

"Shred what?" Bianca blinked innocently at Spencer then she turned around to the shredder machine. "Oh, it always does that. Randomly turn on when there are nothing to shred."

Spencer stared at her friend exasperatedly. She thought that at least Bianca would be sensible and back her up but instead she was the one who gone and destroyed the file. The only evidence against Toby. The only leverage they had to make Toby stopped. How could she do it when she was the one who wanted Ali's case to be done quick? Before Spencer could say anything, Aria's phone rang out suddenly. They quickly turned around, fearing it was A, when Aria looked up from her phone and said, "crap."

"Crap? Why crap?"

Aria only gave her phone towards her friends where they then saw Emily's text asking them specifically to not destroy the file.

Oh crap indeed.

* * *

Jenna walked into the music room, her head dizzy after her talk with Emily few minutes ago. She had tried to convince herself that Emily would definitely do what she said and gave the file back but just now she found out that the file was gone. The file, the one that contained her deepest secret, was gone. And Emily only said not to worry about it? How could she not worry when Emily only gave her a vague assurance? Gone what? Gone as in they destroyed for good? Or gone as in they hid it somewhere and one day someone could stumble upon it accidentally? Sometimes Jenna wondered why Alison would choose those girls as her close circle. Clearly they failed miserably if they were trying to continue Alison's game.

She took a deep breath, trying to calm down. Emily sounded really sincere when she said that the file was gone and out of Alison's friends, Emily was always the meek one. So she wouldn't lie to her. She _must _not lie to her, not when she knew their secret. A secret for a secret. The problem was, which secret was bigger to hide? Once again she took another deep breath. If she was still nervous, she wouldn't be able to think clearly. And she had to clear her mind if she wanted to find a way out of this situation.

"Session 12, August 15th."

Jenna let out a startled but quiet scream when she suddenly heard someone else talking. This was why she hated being blind! Everyone could sneak up on her and she didn't always notice it first.

"Of all sessions he came in, this is my favorite one. Don't you agree, Jenna?"

Her body stiffened when she realized whose voice it was. "Bianca," she greeted rather shakily, "what are you doing here?"

"Talking to you. We haven't had one since you came back."

There was distinct noise of the door being locked, as if Bianca really wanted to emphasis that she could not get away for the moment. "Are the others with you too?" Jenna asked, trying to sound as brave as she could. It didn't escape her mind how eerily coincidental it was that Bianca was already waiting for her in the music room after she finished her talk with Emily.

"Don't worry. It's just you and me."

Jenna tried to focus on her hearing, if there was another person other than two of them. But even when she already concentrated really hard, she couldn't find any sign of other people in the room. Either they were really good at hiding it or she was really alone with Bianca. "What do you want to talk then?"

"Oh I think you know already."

"The file was gone. Emily assured me earlier," Jenna said firmly, not willing to be tricked even when Bianca sounded so confident. "You're bluffing."

Which was why she couldn't hide her surprise when she could practically hear the smugness coming out of Bianca's mouth when she spoke again. "Gone? What are you─ oh yes, that was what _I_ told her. Sorry to disappoint you, Jenna. The file is still here, with me."

"You lied!"

"Really? I know you can't see me but do I really sound like I'm lying to you?"

As much as Jenna wanted to say yes, that she could hear Bianca lying through her teeth, her tone was too confident. There was no distinct tremble or waver in her voice. Bianca really did sound like she was telling the truth.

"Or do you want me to read the whole file to you? I'm up for it. Especially on the session right after that fire happened."

"What do you want?" Jenna curtly asked before the other girl decided to read her whole secret out loud. This scene was too familiar for her that she already knew what was the point of their conversation. She had it with Alison couple of times already.

"Nothing. I just want to let you know that I have the file."

And Jenna got the hidden message behind it. She nodded curtly towards Bianca, resigned to her fate. When Alison was declared dead last month, she really thought she was finally free and could do whatever she wanted. But apparently she was wrong. Coming back to Rosewood might be the bad decision she had ever made in her life. Jenna heard the sound of clicking heels walking away from her then the distinct sound of the door being unlocked. So she took a deep breath and straightened herself before walking towards the door.

Then she suddenly stopped when she was quite near to Bianca, unwilling to surrender without little fight. She had to let the other girl knew that she wouldn't let this matter settled just like this. Not this time. "You know I've never done anything to all of you, not even after you blinded me."

"Did you forget? Toby was the one who lit the fire, Jenna. Remember?"

"And we both knew he really wasn't the culprit," Jenna pointed out, "I come here with peace, for a second chance, and yet you─"

"─you come here to gloat, Jenna," Bianca cut her immediately. "To gloat over Alison's dead body that you're still alive when she's not. And as long as you still have grudge towards Alison, I don't trust you. It seems people start to think that they could just redirect their frustration from Alison to us. Who knows, one day you might change your mind and start targeting us."

Jenna pursed her lips, knowing she couldn't rebut that argument. Not when she knew how much she despised the girls, almost as much as she despised Alison. She tightened her grip on her walking stick, still stubbornly refuse to leave without final saying. "I was wrong. I thought of all the girls in Alison's group, you would be the last one who follow her step. But after this conversation..." Jenna shook her head, giving the other girl a wry smile. "Congratulations, Bianca. You're one step closer to become the new Alison." She was about to leave the room when a hand grabbed her arm roughly that her walking stick dropped to the floor. "Hey!"

"Don't you dare putting me down in her level," Bianca growled from anger, tightening her grip over Jenna's arm. Never had Jenna heard a tone this malicious coming out of Bianca before and she involuntarily shuddered from fright. "I'm not Alison who's doing it for her own selfish reason. I have friends to protect by _any_ means," she hissed.

Before Jenna could shake away her shock over the sudden change from the other girl, she felt Bianca's hand released her arm already and then her hand was wrapped back around her walking stick again.

"Cross me again like this and I swear that file will find its way to everyone in this town and your life will be more miserable."

* * *

"So are you hiding from Spencer _and _Noel right now?" Emily asked as she amusingly watched Bianca getting into the passenger seat.

"If you weren't hurt already, I will so kick your ass," Bianca huffed, "and no, I'm not avoiding either of them."

Emily raised her eyebrow, not believing with either what she said. "Does it have anything to do with the phone you keep holding the whole day?" she teased as she started her brand new car and drove back towards her home.

"Not you too, Em," Bianca whined. "It's not a crime that I want to hold on my phone all the time!"

"Did he text you again today?"

Bianca scowled down at her phone. "No," she begrudgingly answered but then she huffed, throwing her face to the window. "Not that _I_ care."

Knowing that saying anything, either to tease her or to coax her to admit it, would set Bianca off, Emily decided to let their conversation ended and focused back to the road. After all, she was not that close to the red haired girl, especially after Alison disappeared, no, dead. She sighed at her slip. Even until now she still had trouble accepting the fact Alison was dead the night she went missing. Like there was small part of her who believed that if Alison was really dead, she would feel it. But maybe she should not believe her instinct anymore because it was wrong twice already. It let her thought that Toby was not as guilty as the others made him to be yet he attacked her two nights ago.

Emily glanced at Bianca who now was back staring at her phone. The other girl was the only one who was doubtful about Toby's hidden identity. It made her wondered if Bianca ever changed her mind after the Homecoming? She was pissed at Toby yes, but it was more due to him attacking Emily. Spencer and Aria even said that she didn't look too disturbed learning about Toby's secret. Then again she was acting rather strange that night. Before Emily could even brave herself to ask the other girl, Bianca had looked up from her phone and suddenly exclaimed, "oh my God!"

Frowning, Emily followed her line of sight only to voice out the same thing in her mind. Just as she turned around the corner to her house street, they found it was loitered with police cars. Only this time they didn't gather in front of her house. Emily slowed down her car so they could have better look on the other side of the street. Their eyes widened when they saw a tow truck parked in there as well, with a wrecked motorcycle on it. When Bianca glanced at her friend, she knew that it was Toby's and judging from how wrecked it was... Bianca reached out to grasp Emily's hand and squeezed it for comfort as she turned her gaze back to the scene in front of them.

Bianca stiffened when they saw Jenna slumped down to the stairs and broke into crying fit hearing what the officer said. After how she threatened to make Jenna's life miserable if she ever tried to get revenge on the girls, Bianca should have felt satisfied seeing Jenna right now, that she had her job done even without doing anything. But instead all she could feel right now was sympathy to the blind girl, with a tiny bit of fear for herself.

Because all Bianca could see right now was her own past, instead of Jenna, right after Spencer told her that Jason already moved away and Bianca couldn't get in contact with him. And it really scared her how much she could relate to Jenna now. Seeing Jenna right now somehow turned to a premonition. That if she kept refusing to talk to Jason, if she kept being stubborn and refused to forgive him, and something happened to him, Bianca didn't want to feel so much regret and anger at herself. She didn't want to end up like Jenna who lost her chance to redeem herself.

"I─ we should call the others," Emily suddenly spoke up, barely above whisper.

Bianca nodded stiffly. Her hand went to auto mode and texted the others to come by Emily's house as soon as they could. When Emily finally parked her car in her driveway, they went out of the car and Bianca glanced again at the Cavanaugh house and saw the officer squeezed Jenna's shoulder in comfort. Did it mean that Toby really died? Her phone suddenly rang out, startling both of them.

Emily glanced at her friend hesitantly, "is it..."

"No, it's... It's Jason." Bianca looked up to her friend, "is it okay if I..."

"Yeah, yeah, it's okay," Emily quickly answered. "I'll be fine. You really should talk to him."

Bianca gave her a weak smile before turning around and walked away. Emily barely heard her finally answering the call as her friend turned around the corner, and then turned her attention back to Jenna on the other side of the street. She was about to cross the street to ask, but the fear to know the real truth was too overwhelmed for her, even with one looking so obvious in front of her. So she turned around and walked into her house, her mind was more conflicted than yesterday.

* * *

_Sorry! It took me longer to finish this chapter than I anticipate. I seriously thought I could finish it by last weekend but the moving, settling in, and stuff keep getting in the way :( I hope I haven't scared you guys off by not updating it sooner._

_Thanks for the reviews, guys! It really means a lot to me, especially when I'm having trouble with writing few scenes :') Enjoy this chapter and do let me know what you think of it. Don't be shy, guys! I'll try finishing the next chapter way earlier than this one. In the meantime, check out my tumblr page (link in my profile) for Bianca's faceclaim, gif sets, and such :) _

_Next is definitely a very heavy Jason chapter. Who's up for it? ;) Till next time!_


	8. Words Can't Express How Much I Miss You

**_Words Can't Express How Much I Miss You_**

"There you are!" Spencer exclaimed in relief when she noticed Bianca was walking in through her front door. "Where have you been the past─ what the hell are those?" she immediately asked when she realized there were four big shopping bags on each of Bianca's hand. Her exclamation caused the other girls to stop and craned their neck to see what was happening. They watched, mouth gaping, as Bianca walked into the Hastings' kitchen and that there were few shopping bags near the doorway as well.

Bianca dropped the bags and after taking a deep breath, she stared at the girls. "We need to take five," she declared.

"Uh, no, we're not," Spencer quickly said. "We have tons to finish and you were literally gone after third period so─" she abruptly stopped when Bianca raised her hand.

"Just five minutes, Spence," she begged, "I'm literally out of my wit here or else I'm going back to take the whole mall with me. Did I mention that I'm really, really desperate right now?"

Spencer exchanged bewildered look with the others who shrugged back and then sighed. "Alright, fine. Only five minutes," she said sharply and after seeing Bianca nodded vigorously, she peered down to the content of the bags before looking back at her best friend incredulously. "Clothes? Really?" Here she thought it was for school project with deadline hanging around the corner or something. Trusted Bianca to overblown something trivia like this.

"Yes!" Bianca exclaimed as she put down the bags that she left in the doorway earlier. "I need to get this perfect outfit for tonight so please tell me you will stop yapping and start mix and match these! Hanna, come on!"

Hanna immediately jumped into pouring out the clothes in the bag to the couch. There were no one more enthusiastic than her if it concerned about fashion. She quickly shifted through the clothes that Bianca had bought. "Most of these are so not your style," she looked up at Bianca, confused, "are you have a wardrobe makeover or something? Oh, first dibs for me!"

"Yeah, whatever. Can you help me, like now? Guys!" She glared at her remaining friends who then quickly joined Hanna in the couch before she literally dragged them to.

Aria glanced at the clothes, picked up the navy blue tank top and held it up towards Bianca. She pursed her lips, trying to judge if it looked good on her friend, before deciding to throw it back to the pile. "But what's the occasion? Are your mum and dad coming down?"

"Eh, something like that," Bianca mumbled. Her face scrunched up in disgust when Emily took out a halter pink top. "Oh God, did I really buy that?!" she moaned. But then again she just took out all different kind of clothes out of frenzy earlier and dumped in the cashier. She didn't even glance at what she bought. It wasn't like she couldn't return them later, she thought. But now that she really saw them, Bianca really wanted to smack herself. Hanna was right, these clothes were not really her style.

Spencer narrowed her eyes watching Bianca shot down every suggestion their friends made. She knew Bianca had whole new sets of fall collection from her mother already and Bianca never wasted her money on clothes. Nor did she ever panicked over what to wear. Having a designer as her mother made it easy for Bianca to mix and match her clothes. Whatever it was Bianca was planning to do tonight, it had to be something huge and Spencer was sure it had nothing to do with her parents. Her mother would have picked out an outfit for her days before. So what could possibly send Bianca Lexington in a frenzy panic?

Her eyes widened when Spencer realized just exactly the one thing that could make it happened. And she felt really stupid for not connecting it way earlier. No wonder Bianca was in a mess right now.

"Spencer!" Bianca snapped as she threw a mint strapless dress to the 'no' pile, which was substantially growing, "seriously, stop daydreaming and help me out already!"

Spencer smirked, started rummaging through her pile of clothes again. Now that she knew why Bianca was acting like this, she started to enjoy it. This seemed like they were back to a year ago where they always played dress up almost every night.

"You have got to give us a clue, B," Hanna said exasperatedly, "how am I supposed to give you the perfect outfit if I didn't know what it is for?"

"Yeah B," Spencer chirped in, "what is it for? Does it have something to do with someone who's supposed to arrive tonight?"

From the shocked look in Bianca's face, Spencer knew she hit the right mark and it made her grinned happily. She immediately jumped into Bianca and hugged her when her friend slightly nodded with a slight smile. Their friends, however, looked more confused than ever especially when Spencer suddenly squealed. Even until now, they still couldn't follow when Spencer and Bianca talked to each other. It felt like those two still had their own secret after being the only one who still kept being friends since that day.

"Wait, who's coming tonight?" Aria asked, breaking those two girls from their bubble.

Bianca scowled at Spencer who only smirked back and mumbled, "Jason."

"Really? Jason that Jason? He's coming to town? For real?"

"No, Hanna, he's not." Bianca rolled her eyes when Hanna asked it. "I just got panicked and bought the whole store for something that happened only in my head."

Hanna threw the dress she was holding right at Bianca's face with a scowl. "I was just asking, geez," she huffed. "So you're talking with him now? Since when? Last time I checked you were busy smooching with Noel Kahn. Did Jason know about you and Noel?"

"I'm _not _smooching Noel," Bianca said irritably. "Stop spreading rumor about me and him!" she warned when Hanna only smirked back, "I know you were behind that, Hanna."

Ever since Homecoming, everyone seemed to giggling when they saw her coming. Some of them even boldly pointed at her when she was talking with Noel in the hallway or somewhere in the school. It didn't take a whole day for Bianca to realize what was going on. Apparently her make out session with Noel in the booth was the better gossip than Hanna not showing up for her crowning and it lasted for days. Noel was all smirking and gloating on it, which made her even more annoyed and smacked him almost every day.

"Oh come on, B! Did you have any idea how depressing hearing the others talk about you? They're making it sound like you're gone crazy bat after Jason left. I just need to shut them off for a while." Hanna said, rolling her eyes, as she inspected a pink tank top before throwing it to the 'no' pile. "So, where are you going to meet him? Out for dinner and late snack after that?"

"Or are you going to meet him in his hotel room?" Spencer added with a wink.

Bianca scoffed, "do you really think I will tell you? No way. You'll just spy on us."

"Would you blame us? He did leave you without explanation for a year," Aria pointed out, "and when he came back two weeks ago, you went spiral. We can't exactly think this is going to be a quiet dinner thing."

She was more than ready to say that it could be a civilized one, that she wouldn't throw a tantrum,, but Aria was right. Even now Bianca still had urge to cancel the whole thing and run away to Philadelphia, to her father, just to avoid Jason. Bianca bit her lips, "If you're so worried about me making scenes, don't bother." She sighed when she received more confused look. "We won't eat outside. Jason's going straight to my house tonight and stay there until the memorial."

"WHAT?!"

Bianca immediately cringed when her friends shouted at the same time, all of them wearing the same shocked expression. "Gee, can't you all shout louder and break my eardrum?" she snapped back. It wasn't a big announcement or anything that Jason would stay in her house during his stay here. If anything, they should have expected it could happen, especially Spencer. When they still gaped at her and couldn't get over their shock, Bianca rolled her eyes. "Yes, Jason is going to live with me for a week. Anyone have a problem with that?"

Hanna was the first one to recover. "Um, no. Not me," she quickly said, "I mean, if you want him to be in your house, I can't say no to that." Beside her, Aria and Emily nodded as well even though they looked like they still hadn't process all of it into their brain yet.

It was Spencer who still stared at her dubiously. "Are you sure about this, B? It's kind of a big leap after kind of avoiding him for two weeks."

"Yes, I do, Spence! Shut it already!" Bianca snapped again and turned her attention back to the pile of clothes. Her friends watched as she took a lacy mint dress but she put it back again with resigned look. "I just want to know the truth, you know," she said quietly. "What was really happening to him when he left, why it took him this long to call me back. I mean, I know my mum had a hand on it, but... I just want to hear it from his side. I was so angry at the homecoming that I basically cut him off."

"B..."

Spencer sighed and wrapped her hand around Bianca's shoulder. "It wasn't your fault, you know. Sometime things... just happened."

"I know that, I know." Bianca sighed, resting her head against Spencer's before closing her eyes. "But I can't spend my whole life wondering what if and what might be. And I need to figure out my feeling to him. Do I still love him, or is it just leftover from a year ago? I just thought... if he's there with me all the time, I would know, you know? This could be my only chance."

"Okay then," Hanna's bright voice break through the strained atmosphere between them. "Now that we know what's tonight for, operation Make Jason Drop Dead commence!"

Bianca almost choked on her tears when she laughed together with her friends. Trust Hanna for breaking the ice. Bianca smiled fondly as she watched her friend busied herself with matching outfit for tonight. In a way, she did curse Alison for being dead, for destroying the life bubble she was comfortably in. She had a handsome older boyfriend, she had a group of best friends, she was popular, and it was all gone when Alison disappeared a year ago. But Bianca realized that not everyone was destroyed when Alison disappeared. She saw Hanna who drastically changed over the summer and more confident of herself compared to when Alison was alive. Or Spencer who slowly gained control of herself and socialized more with others, no longer the awkward nerd in school. Or Emily who started break away from her shyness. Or Aria who no longer detached from everything around her.

She just wished Jason changed for a better one over the year.

* * *

**_Alison's House_**

**_September 2008_**

_When she woke up that morning, Bianca still couldn't believe that she was actually spending the night at Alison's house. Her first sleepover with Alison and her gang. Ever since she bumped into Jason in the summer and how he helped her out and even took her home afterwards, Bianca had desperately wanted to find a way to get closer to the older Dilaurentis. For the first time, she finally knew what it meant to have a crush. But Jason was six years older than her and their friends didn't exactly operate in the same circle. She knew the easiest way to get closer to him was through his sister, the Queen Bee Alison Dilaurentis. _

_Bianca never really liked Alison since the other girl moved to Rosewood. Not because she suddenly became the Miss Popular overnight, or that boys were having crush on her only. Bianca never really cared about that. Her mother had put her through a tight schedule every day that it was too exhausting to think of those things. No. Bianca never liked the way Alison talked to everyone, including her own bands of friends. The way she ridiculed Hanna for having size above average, the way she bullied everyone who she didn't like. Bianca had made sure she didn't really come across Alison more than necessary._

_But she had to admit Alison had a way to make people feel special. Just a week after she started talking with Alison, Bianca had already felt as if she belonged to Alison's little group now. Especially after Alison found out that her mother was a famous designer, she started inviting Bianca out for lunch together or go to Mall after school. Up until now, Bianca never really liked when people befriended her when they knew who her mother was. But then Alison invited her for a sleepover and that could be her only chance to meet Jason personally, so Bianca couldn't really say no. _

_How else would she get to talk to Jason again, now that the school started and he spent most of his week in Philadelphia?_

_It was then she found out that Jason was not at home for the weekend. Apparently that and her parent's weekend trip were the reasons why Alison wanted to do sleepover in her house. Bianca was dejected after she knew. She had spent half day panicking on what to wear and prepare in case she met Jason but he was nowhere around to see her. But knowing Alison wouldn't like it if she suddenly changed her mind and left after just arriving, Bianca forced herself to stay there until the very end._

_And it wasn't a waste of time, she found out. The other girls were actually fun to be with. Hanna was apparently her mother's best fan and really good at fashion. Spencer was not as nerd and uptight as she thought. Aria was fun to talk with about books. After she got over the shyness part, she could talk easier with Emily. And Alison... well, she found out that her all mighty attitude in school was not always there, that Alison was just a normal girl once you get closer to her._

_Glancing around to see the girls were still asleep, Bianca quietly made her way downstairs so not to wake them yet. They did have a late night yesterday, with three movies marathon and truth or dare afterwards. Not knowing what she should do while waiting for the others to wake up and feeling a bit famished, Bianca then decided to make a breakfast. She used to help her late grandmother making breakfast every weekend anyway. Alison did say they could use her kitchen all they wanted. Bianca opened the fridge and took out ingredients she needed. She was in the middle of frying the eggs when she heard footsteps towards her._

_"Morning," Bianca said cheerfully, not turning around yet since she thought it must be one of the girls. "Food's almost ready. Hope you guys don't mind..."_

_Her voice trailed off and her grin faltered when she turned slightly and found out that it wasn't her new friends who was standing behind her. _Jason _was standing behind the counter, staring at her with slight frown. Blush immediately covered her face when Bianca remembered how bad her bed hair usually was in the morning. Her free hand fidgeted on the hem of her short, suddenly felt conscious of her clothes._

_"You're not Alison," he said, narrowing his eyes._

_"Um, n-no, I'm not," she stammered and laughed awkwardly, "obviously. Red hair and so."_

_"You're not her usual friends too."_

_"Not really. Um, I'm Bianca," she offered her hand for a shake but then realized in horror that it was still holding a spatula. Quickly Bianca put it away next to the stove and offered her hand back. Her face flushed more at her earlier blunder. "Alison invited me for sleepover yesterday. You're Alison's brother, right? Jason?"_

_Jason only raised his eyebrow at her offered hand, causing Bianca to retract it immediately and wanted to just hide and bury herself feet under the ground. This was horrible! She didn't really expect to meet Jason first thing in the morning with her hair still messed up. And now Jason seemed a bit wary seeing her here in his quiet house. Oh God, she didn't even know what her face looked like right now. She hadn't brush her teeth or anything. Bianca fidgeted nervously on her feet, hoping this awkward moment to disappear somehow._

_"Where's Ali?"_

_"Oh, last time I checked, she's still sleeping in her room," she quickly answered, silently relieved that he broke the silence first. "I just woke up so I make breakfast... I- I hope it's okay."_

_Jason glanced behind her, to the stove. "Not if you burnt those," he said, nodding towards her frying pan._

_"Crap!" Bianca quickly turned around, mentally berating herself for forgetting the eggs. She winched when she saw how burnt her eggs were. "Crap, crap, crap," she kept repeating it as she turned down the fire and took the pan to the trash and threw those eggs away. Bianca braved herself to glance at Jason who merely watched her with what she swore a glint of amusement. "I wasn't this clumsy usually, I swear," she quickly said to defend herself. "I know how to cook, really."_

_"I can see that," he commented with a smirk._

_This was not a good way to meet with Jason. Never in her scenarios would he ever met her again in this kind of situation. Gone was her mentally prepared conversations to leave good impression on him. He definitely remembered her as the girl who might burn down his kitchen. "No, really," she protested, trying to look believable, but she knew it would fail because of her flushing face. Bianca could even feel how warm her cheeks were right now and she knew the heat from the stove had nothing to do with it. "I can cook."_

_Before he could answer, they heard another footsteps coming down the stairs, much to her relief. As much as she wanted to spend alone time with Jason, this conversation didn't go the way she wanted to. Anything to distract them was more than welcome. Bianca glanced slightly to see it was only Alison who came down. She was still dressed in her pajamas but covered them with a robe, unlike Bianca. Alison was about to greet her new friend when she saw Jason was also inside the kitchen. Immediately her smiling face was replaced with a scowl. _

_"What are you doing here?" Alison demanded before Jason could say anything. "You're not supposed to be at home this weekend."_

_"Why hello, Ali. Good morning to you too."_

_Alison rolled her eyes instead, "don't play games, Jason. Did mum and dad know you're going home today? I'm supposed to have this house by myself!"_

_"Yeah, mother thinks it's better if there's an adult around so here I am."_

_"Do you really think I would believe it?" Alison scoffed, "you're not going to throw any party this weekend, Jason. Your friends are not welcomed. I mean it."_

_Hearing their conversation confirmed her suspicion yesterday that Alison and Jason weren't really that close as siblings. Bianca could really feel the animosity between them while they were speaking. No wonder there were barely pictures of them together. Even if there was (she only found one in the living room), their expression would be stiff and stoic compared to their individual pictures. Bianca sighed as she quietly stepped away from them. This would make her plan was a bit harder than she thought. Had she known that Alison and Jason weren't really close, she wouldn't have tried to get closer to Alison. There was no way Alison would help her out with Jason. And there was no way Jason would want to talk to Alison's friends._

_"You can leave now," Alison said rather loudly, raising her eyebrow at her brother. It caused Bianca to retract her attention back to their conversation._

_Jason looked like he was trying to figure out a throwback at his sister when he noticed additional presence on their kitchen and smirked. "Bianca right?" he suddenly said, surprising both girls. He could see the effect on his sister immediately. She looked annoyed and that was exactly what he wanted. When the red haired girl slightly nodded, he grinned. "I'll see you around, Bianca. Maybe next time I can try your cooking," Jason said, nodding towards her with a wink, which made Bianca flushed even more._

_She barely had time to stammer out a response when Jason walked away from the kitchen while grabbing an apple on his way out._

_Alison rolled her eyes as she watched her brother's back, "God, he's such a waste. I'm so going to call my parents about this." She then glanced to Bianca and was about to say something when she noticed something different in Bianca's face. It didn't took her a long time to figure out what it was because moments later, Alison scrunched her nose in disgust. "Geez, I never thought you would have a poor taste in boys, Bianca."_

_Bianca was taken back with her comment that she could barely compose herself when she replied, "w-what are you talking about?"_

_"My brother? Really? There are way better boys than him in Rosewood. Trust me on that."_

_And Bianca really wanted to deny it, to lie a little longer that she didn't have a crush on anyone, especially not Alison's older brother. But Bianca knew her face would immediately betray her denial at once. So instead she turned back to the stove and resumed her cooking, trying to avoid looking at Alison right now. She knew what the other girl would try to do anyway and there was no need to edge her more. But at least thanks to her, Jason would remember her name. Bianca wasn't blind. She knew Jason talked to her to piss Alison off, but that was enough for her. At least for now._

_Anything to get her closer to Jason was fine with her._

* * *

Bianca could remember the last time she was this nervous to meet Jason. And it only happened twice. Once was when she first came over to Alison's house for sleepover and second was when Jason suddenly agreed to hang out with her. She remembered how panicked she was at those time but she swore none of them measured up to how she was feeling right now. Her hand couldn't stop sweating profusely, her body was shaking as she got closer to her house, and she felt as if she was always on the edge.

When she finally got into her driveway, her mind immediately went frantic. She could feel her stomach lurching inside as well as she glance to her house. Maybe she couldn't do this right now. What if Jason decided to change his mind? What if he didn't like her outfit? There was still time to cancel everything. She didn't have to go through this if she didn't want to. Or she could invite the girls as well so she didn't have to be alone with Jason. Her mind kept searching for an excuse she could use to get away from her own house and it only made her body shaking even more.

She kept tugging at the hem of her skirt, still feeling that there was still something missing in her outfit despite her friends' insistence. And everything had to be perfect for tonight. It had to. She could finally spend time with Jason without interruption and this time, Bianca knew she had to control her temper more than she ever needed before. This was what she wanted─ to figure out her own feeling, if she needed to bury him in the past or not. That was the only thing that could get her overcame her nervousness and left the car.

"You can do this, you're Bianca Lexington, you don't do scared," she kept muttering it on every step she took to her front door.

Bianca took a deep breath as she opened her door. The house was silent as ever now that her mother was back to New York and her father had to spend the month in Philadelphia. Her mind mentally listed everything she needed to prepare before Jason arrived. She was about to go upstairs when her phone rang loudly in the empty house. When she saw that it was Noel, Bianca rolled her eyes and rejected the call. She quickly texted him to stop bothering her and that she was still going to meet Jason. That was why he would call her out of sudden anyway. He was the one who convinced her to spend more time with Jason if she really wanted to stop being confused with her own feeling.

She rolled her eyes when he replied seconds later and put back her phone to her bag. Bianca was about to walk upstairs when she heard footsteps coming from the living room. "Vanessa, is that... you..." her voice trailed off when she saw it wasn't her housekeeper. "Jason..." she breathed out.

He was _not _supposed to be at her house for another two hours or so.

"Sorry," he quickly explained, noticing how surprised she was to see him, "I arrived early and your housekeeper let me in."

"Oh..."

Bianca definitely did not miss how Jason almost did double take and when she turned around and took a mental not to thank Hanna. Especially with how his eyes lingered down to her figure quite a long time before snapping up to meet her eyes. She was a bit doubtful with the dress they ended up choosing since it wasn't really her style and seemed too fancy for a dinner in home. But Hanna made out this huge speech on how the olive green color contrasted her hair perfectly and that the neckline showed up her breasts, which she totally believed Jason wouldn't be able to tear his gaze off of them. She kept telling Hanna saying that she didn't want to sleep with Jason or even flirt with him, just for a talk, but Hanna refused to listen.

Okay, maybe it was a good idea that she listened to Hanna. Maybe.

"Yeah," he paused slightly. "I didn't know you have a new housekeeper. What happened to Scarlet?"

Her lips pursed remembering her old housekeeper, the one she thought she could trust in the house. "She had to leave to be with her mother two weeks ago. Wasn't your flight supposed to leave just now?" she blurted out the last part before she could stop herself. That was what he told her yesterday. She doubled checked it and everything. Or did she hear it wrong?

Jason winched slightly, "right, I told you that. I took an earlier flight since I can wrap up everything in DC sooner than I thought. It was in a whim actually so I forgot to tell you."

"No, it's okay," she quickly said. "I'm just... surprised, that's all."

That was when she took a good look on him for the first time. He was wearing suit... again, she noticed sadly. It wasn't that she didn't like the prim and sophisticated look the suit gave on him but it made him too proper and stoic. Like he was a businessman who definitely didn't have time to play dates with high schooler. As if he couldn't be comfortable around her. When she saw him wearing suits those two times she saw him after a year, Bianca thought it might be nothing, that the situation demanded to suit up. First was his sister's funeral and the second was the homecoming night. But now... she could see how different he really was compared to a year ago.

But it only made her wondered whether Jason the boyfriend was still there under the proper him or if he already disappeared.

"You wore suits now," she said softly.

Her comment seemed to make him uncomfortable since Jason immediately tugged at his tie and tried to loosen it up. "Yeah, it's... I've been helping with my father's business," he mumbled.

"No, don't," Bianca quickly made her way closer to him and put her hands over his, stopping him from tearing his tie off. "I like it, really. It's just..." she looked up and slightly smiled at him, "you looked different, that's all."

Jason shrugged his shoulder, "a year apart can change that to anyone."

She stiffened hearing his offhanded remark, feeling a little hurt that he indirectly said being apart from her was the way to change him. As if it was her fault that he kept being that way during their relationship. It wasn't exactly her fault that they couldn't see each other for a year. Bianca was sure that if they didn't find Alison's body, he would never step back to Rosewood again. Jason must have noticed the change in her expression because he then sighed and ran his finger through his hair.

"I didn't mean it that way," he said rather frustrated. "It's just with Alison's missing and my parents..."

"─you don't have to explain everything to me, J," Bianca quickly cut, noticing how it made him felt more uncomfortable. The last thing she needed was to make everything more uncomfortable with Jason around. Now that he was here, Bianca didn't know if she would let him leave again after this. Her breath hitched when Jason suddenly took both of her hands and grasped them tight. She looked up at him, staring him with questioning look.

He sighed, closing his eyes as he leaned down to touch his forehead with hers. "I do, I have to," he whispered. "I left you alone, B, after I promised we'll get through this together. The least I can do is not holding any more secret from you."

"My mum drove you away," she muttered. "It's not your fault. I was angry that night and I didn't think straight. I was wrong." Bianca raised her hand to touch his cheek and smiled softly when he leaned into her touch. "I can't really blame you for leaving when it's my mum's doing."

The corner of his lips quirked up, "I always thought it would be your father who blew up first and locked you away from me."

His comment reminded her of the times when they were still dating and her father always frowned whenever Jason came by and that caused Bianca to chuckled lightly. "He doesn't _hate _you." When Jason raised his eyebrow, Bianca shook her head in amusement. "Okay fine, he can't stand your presence. A _bit_. But that's because you always acted like a douche whenever he's there," she added as she lightly punched his arm, couldn't help but grinning, remembering the times they argued on how Jason should acted in front of her father.

"Well you have to admit it's because you were too demanding sometimes," he said with matching grin with her.

Bianca could swear her heart almost stopped seeing that grin plastered on his face, the retort she was thinking of died on her throat. It felt like the old Jason was slipping through his new mask. This was the Jason she remembered, the Jason she had a crush on. Her fear was wrong. He didn't completely disappeared from her. "There you are," Bianca immediately said as she wrapped her hand around his neck and squeezed him briefly, feeling immensely relieved. "I thought you were gone from me." She pulled back slightly to look at him.

Her grin died down when she realized he had that stare at her. Again. The one that seemed to soak her in intensely and made her all flustered. Bianca bit her lips as her eyes flickered down to his lips. Now that they were this close and started to get over the year they were apart, it made Bianca started to wonder when was the last time they kissed. She couldn't remember it. Was it the night before Alison came back from her holiday? Or was it after she disappeared, in the many nights she spent in Dilaurentis' house to accompany him? How could she not remember their last kiss?

Bianca shook her head, pulling away more so she could put a distance between them. Now was not the time to think about that. There were other things she needed to figure out before she could even think of kissing him. She kept repeating it in her mind, trying to distract herself. But when she looked up at him again, it became too hard to contain it anymore. Bianca grabbed a fistful of his jacket and pulled him down, crashing her lips into his. She closed her eyes when he responded, moving his lips against hers. The taste of his lips, his warm breath over her face, she almost forgot how it felt. When Jason moved his arms and wrapped them around her body, pulling her closer to him, and deepened the kiss, she groaned in pleasure.

He released their kiss moments later as they stared at each other, feeling a bit breathless. Neither of them dared to move an inch or say anything. Their eyes watched the other, waiting in anticipation for the other to make a move. That kiss changed everything. Neither of them able to deny and lie that they no longer had feeling for each other. They couldn't hide behind the fact that they were apart for year because those feelings were still there.

Jason was the first one to make a move. He raised his hand to swipe her hair away from her face and cupped her cheek. His eyes focused on her, as if trying to find out the question he didn't dare to voice out. Bianca was about to ask if something was wrong when he pulled him against her and kissed her again, taking her by surprise. Her mind barely registered to return the kiss when Jason spun them around and pinned her against the wall.

His teeth nibbled on her bottom lip then soothed with his tongue. He ran down his hands down to her thigh and hoisted her up. Bianca automatically wrapped her hand around his hips with his help. One of his hand sneaked up to her waist to hold her properly. His other hand stroked its way from her thigh, brushing slightly against the side of her breasts, causing her to arch. He blindly searched for the zipper on her back and quickly zipped her dress down when he found it. Bianca ran her hand over his chest, fumbled on loosening his tie, and tugged at his jacket, trying to remove it. He removed his hand away from her so it could slid from his arm and immediately latched them back as his jacket fell on the floor.

He pulled away from her lips to trail kisses over her neck, his tongue flicked over the spot between her neck and shoulder before he bit down gently. Bianca threw her head fall back to the wall and moaned. His hands moved from her shoulder down to her arm, shedding off her dress as he did. She moved her hand away from his chest so he could slid the sleeve out of her hands briefly before fumbling again with his shirt buttons. In the end she just tore it open out of frustration. Her finger grabbed fistful of his hair in response when Jason pulled her up again and peppered light kisses from her shoulder down to her cleavage.

His lips barely touched the swell of her right breast when they heard clattered sound and a shocked gasp near them.

"Dios mio! Miss Bianca!"

Bianca gasped and jumped off of Jason when she heard her new housekeeper's voice. She quickly pulled up her dress so at least she covered herself. "Vanessa!" she greeted awkwardly, blush covered her whole face, "I thought you left already."

"No. Mr. Richard said to stay over for the week. No funny business, he said." Vanessa said, pointedly glanced at Jason.

Bianca groaned. Why would she be surprised? Of course her father would do it. She should have suspected it at least with how easy they agreed to let Jason stayed for the week. "Honestly, dad," she grumbled, swearing she would call her father after this. It's Jason, for God's sake, not someone new who had the potential to be a serial killer. "It's okay, Vanessa," she said again, "you can go home. I can handle everything for tonight."

"No, no, can not do that, Miss Bianca. Stay or get fired, Mr. Richard said."

"Oh for God's sake," she threw her hand up in exasperation before turning to Jason. She gulped when she saw hint of bare chest, courtesy of her tearing his shirt button earlier, and quickly looked up before she forgot that Vanessa was there and resumed their activities. "Um, I should... call my dad."

Jason awkwardly nodded. "Yeah. I'll just go to my room," he gestured to his torn shirt, "and change."

"oh," her face reddened again. "Yup, I'll, um, see you soon then?" She winched at her word choice. See him soon? Of course she would see him soon. They lived in the same house now. Why on earth would she say see you soon? Why couldn't she say something else? "I'll just..."

"Yeah, ok."

As she grabbed her landline phone and called her father, Bianca held down the urge for smacking herself. Now that she could compose herself, all could she think of─ what the hell was that? How could she lose control of herself and do that? Bianca dropped down to the sofa, gripping her now messy hair. This was not what she planned to do. It wasn't supposed to happen like this. They were supposed to have a dinner, talk about what they had missed on each other, and figured out what they should do now.

Her hand subconsciously went the spot where Jason bit her earlier, trembling as she drew a shaky breath. She would lie if she said she didn't want it or that she didn't like it. Not even her impromptu make out with Noel on bean toss booth even compared to earlier. She felt... _alive _on his every touch. For the first time all the uneasiness and worry were thrown out of her head when Jason held her. All she could think about was Jason and his hands and lips.

_"Bianca? Something's wrong, baby?"_

Bianca shook the thought away from her. "Daddy!" she greeted cheerfully but changed her tone into an annoyed one. "What the hell did you say to Vanessa?"

There was no way she would let her housekeeper would stay around after what just happened.

* * *

This had officially been the most awkward dinner she ever had. Bianca was torn between wanting to curse herself for giving in to her desire earlier or curse her new housekeeper for having an impeccably worst timing ever. Either way when Jason came back from the guess room, this time he wore T-shirt and jeans which startled her at first, the awkwardness before that kiss seemed to return again. Bianca wanted them to talk what happened between them earlier but she was too scared to bring it up. Scared if he just dismissed it and said that it was just a heat of the moment, nothing to be taken seriously.

So she tried to hold back her tongue, to not slip that topic away just like she usually did when she was too emotional. There was no need to make the dinner more awkward than it was already now. Though even without that thing happened earlier, Bianca knew that dining alone with Jason in her kitchen, as if it was normal occurrence between them, was quite weird. And judging how silent Jason was and how he seemed to have trouble focusing on his food every time she stole a glance at him, she knew he felt the same way.

"Did you get the latest program for the memorial?" Bianca finally spoke up, unable to stand another moment of silence.

Jason cleared his throat, "yeah. I got it right before boarding so I could read it over on the flight."

"Oh good," she paused slightly, "and... you're okay with it?"

"Yeah, yeah," Jason answered quickly. "It's perfect. Thank you," he added, "for doing this. It really means a lot to me, to my parents too." His hand reached out to squeeze hers slightly before returning to his side.

A smile adorned her face as she shook her head, "it's okay. We need a closure too."

"They really wanted to come but..."

"It's okay, J," Bianca quickly cut, seeing his expression. "As long as they're giving us their blessing, it's fine. But I'm happy you're here."

"I wouldn't miss it for the world," he said quietly.

And they fell into another silence again. Bianca sighed and lowered her head down to focus on her plate, resigned to the fact how easily they slipped into this awkward silence. Again. For a moment there were only clanking sounds of silverware against the plate heard in the dining room. Bianca didn't dare to look up to Jason again, afraid on what his expression might be. Suddenly she wished she didn't force her father to let Vanessa leave the house tonight. At least she could have someone else to talk to, just to avoid this unbearable silence.

"I'm going to talk to the police tomorrow."

Bianca almost choked on her food when she heard him. "I'm sorry, what? Why?" When she saw the stubborn expression on his face, Bianca sighed knowing exactly what was the reason. "Jason, when I told you everything, I didn't mean that I want you to─"

"─he's harassing you, B!"

"Yes I know that," she said exasperatedly, "but he's just doing his job. You know how irritating Wilden could be. It's not a big deal, okay?"

"When my family said we want the case to be closed fast, it didn't mean he can go parading in the school and harassing everyone he could think of!"

Bianca reached over the table to touch his hand and squeezed it comfortedly, at least so he could calm down. Funny how between two of them, she was usually the level headed one when everyone else knew how short tempered she could be. Why did she open her big mouth and spill out what Wilden had been doing since the funeral again? "Hey, I'm not saying that you can't go to the police. If you can make them solve this case faster, I'm all for that. But don't take it too personal, J. You're always too emotional if it hit close to you."

Jason raised his eyebrow, smirking, as he eased back to the chair. "Like you don't?" he countered back.

"Touche," she said, chuckling lightly. "Just... remember that, okay? We all want to get that bastard in the jail."

He was about to say something but then decided to hold it back and sigh. "Okay," he conceded, "but Wilden had it coming if I kick his ass."

"I'm sure he knows," she rolled her eyes, smiling when Jason squeezed her hand back slightly. Her eyes widened and Bianca immediately flushed in red when Jason lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it. The way his lips curled up in a smirk meant he counted for her reaction to happen. "Stop it," she mumbled, drawing her back awkwardly and fast that it slapped her water glass off of the table. "Crap!" Bianca swore under her breath as she immediately jumped off of her chair and picked up the pieces with her napkin.

"I thought your clumsy phase around me is cured already."

Bianca glanced up slightly to see that Jason was in front of her, doing the same with her broken glass. "Shut up," she muttered, blushing even more as she remembered the first few weeks after their encounter in Alison's kitchen. Somehow she managed to make a fool of herself in front of him. Now that she thought about it again, no wonder the girls easily found out about her crush on Jason that time.

They both stopped midways when their hands almost touched as they reached for the last piece at the same time and looked into each other. Her eyes searched his and time simply just stopped. Bianca couldn't avert away from his eyes even when he slowly took the last piece _and _her napkin safely away from them. She held her breath in anticipation when Jason then placed his palm on the other side of her face and drew her in. Unlike earlier when it was all burning desire, this time his lips brushed over hers softly. Bianca closed her eyes, sighing in content as she glided her hands over his chest. The tight muscle of his under her palms really felt right, familiar. As if the past year never happened.

He teased her lips open and pushed inside. His taste and scent flooded her again, bringing back every wonderful memory of their passionate time together. But before she could do anything more, Jason pulled away from their kiss, leaving her light headed and dizzy. "I can't..." he said in a hush voice. "I'm sorry."

Bianca still had her eyes closed, relishing the tingling feeling his lips left on hers, as she shook her head. "You shouldn't be," she said, leaning forward to capture his lips, only to have him turned his head slightly so her lips now landed on his cheek. Her eyes flew open immediately as she stared at him, stunned. "Jason, what..."

To her surprise, Jason immediately stood up. "I can't do this," he stated, refusing to look at her.

"What are you talking about?" she asked and stood up slowly, confused, especially when Jason just stalked away from the kitchen afterwards. "Hey, wait!" Quickly she ran after him and grabbed his arm just before he reached the bottom of the staircase. "What's wrong?"

But Jason just shrugged her hand roughly away from him and took a step on the staircase.

"Jason!"

Her forceful voice at least did something good since Jason finally stopped and turned around. This time he didn't avoid her stare. "I'm tired, B, and we have long day tomorrow."

"But─"

"─good night, Bianca," he cut sharply.

And Bianca could only stare at him, her mouth gaping open, as she watched him walked upstairs to the guest room he would be staying for the week. Not once did his step faltered and he looked back to her hesitantly. He just walked up there without words and slammed the door to his room, startling her as he did. What just happened? Their mood was getting good. They finally got rid of the post-getting-caught-for-intense-make-out awkwardness. They almost ripped each other clothes earlier, for God's sake, in the living room. If Vanessa didn't interrupt them, she was sure they would have sex either up against the wall or in her great grandmother's couch. So why did Jason get all bewildered and frightened from this kiss?

What the hell had just happened?

* * *

_Thanks for the reviews and such, guys!_

_So I decided to change the rating to M with how this chapter goes. I totally didn't plan it this way but, um, yeah, things changed as I write XD __Well, like I promise, a heavy Jason chapter here and more to come ;) What do you think?_

_Hope you enjoy this and till next time!_


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